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Peepstone Joe 



AND TH1 



Peck Manuscript 



BY 



LU B. CAKE 



Author of 

The Devil's Teatable and Other Poems^ "The Story My Mother Told Me? 
"Pen Sketches j-" also "The Bright Little Lantern I 
Swing'"' and other Songs. 



PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY 

L. B. CAKE 

90 WEST BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY 



$# 

t* 






o i' 41. 



COPYRIGHTED 1899 

BY 

LU B. CAKE. 















DEDICATED 

. TO THE 

Great Triumvirate for Truth, 

The Press, The Pulpit, 

The People. 



CHAPTER I. 

The Book of Mormon the Whole Case — Joe, the 
One and Only Witness — Manuscript Found. 

Elder Orson Pratt, the ablest thinker, writer and 
champion of the Mormons, published to the world 
the following appalling dilemma : 

"The nature of the message in the Book of 
Mormon is such that, if true, none can be saved 
and reject it ; and, if false, none can be saved 
and receive it." 

This challenges investigation. It necessitates 
finding the truth, or falsity of Mormonism. They 
force the issue with this awful alternative. 

Let us put it to the proof. Abuse of the Ism is 
not argument. Tirades against this people of mar- 
vellous industry, do not settle the case. I admire 
the energy, devotion, self-sacrifice that have made 
"the desert blossom as the rose." I have Mormon 
friends who are very excellent people. The hosts 
of good Mormons have my fraternal regard. Not 
Mormons but Mormonism, is put on trial. It pub- 
lishes and flouts in my face a challenge of salvation, 
or damnation, to my soul. The Latter Day Saints 
are mistaken, or I and other Gentiles are damned. 
Who is wrong? They claim Joseph Smith is a 
later Prophet with a new, better Bible, and from 
God ; I believe that Joe is from the Devil and his 



book a flimsy fake. Who is right? The Truth 
without bias, or prejudice, is just as important to 
my Mormon brethren as it is to me. Mormons are 
all "lost if the book is false" ; the rest of the world 
"lost if that book is true " This is Mormonism's 
affirmative proposition and the burden of proof is 
on them to sustain it. Let us examine the evi- 
dence they offer. Let us cross-examine the only 
witness they produce — Joseph Smith. Mark it well 
— the only witness Mormonism has to prove its case 
is the witness, Joseph Smith ! Let us see if their 
witness gives testimony good enough to change the 
theology of the world. Let us see if their one wit- 
ness gives the credible proof that the Mormon Bible 
is a later, better revelation from God. The world 
had a Bible centuries old when the Book of Mor- 
mon was published. The Mormon evidence must 
prove a better Bible, in order to displace the old 
Bible, loved and revered by the world. 

Who is this extraordinary witness by whose 
mouth God will save or damn us all? Joe Smith! 
Whose revelation is this that is better than that of 
Moses and the Prophets? Joe Smith's! Who is 
this whose utterance outweighs the voice of the 
Twelve Apostles? Joe Smith! Whose word is 
offered as better than the Word made flesh that 
dwelt among us? Joe Smith's! 

The whole case stands or falls with Joe Smith. 
The so-called inspired utterances of Brigham 
Young, and all the Mormon Prophets and Apostles 
from Joe Smith until now, depend upon whether 



7 

the Book of Mormon is a fact or a fake. If the 
book is a fake, the divine claim of Brigham and his 
Apostles are fakes ! If the book is a fake the whole 
system falls to the ground, Prophets and pretended 
up-to-date revelations. These have nothing to do 
with the case. The Book is the whole case, and 
Joe Smith the one and only witness to the book. 

That Mormonism has deluded people for three 
score years counts for nothing. The whole thing is 
of such recent birth that people are now living who 
saw Joe Smith, and can testify to his character, 
and to his reputation for truth and veracity. Yea, 
and we have the depositions of his family, friends, 
and neighbors, taken at the time that he was foist- 
ing himself and his book upon the world. The 
number of the deluded, nor the years of their delu- 
sion have anything to do with the case. 

A thing is no less sinful 

That so the many sin ! 
No vice becomes a virtue, 

Because it long hath been ! 
To call Hades religion, 

Then preach it, practice well, 
A Harem for a Heaven, 

Don't make it less a Hell ! 

Furthermore, I have the good fortune to give to 
the world the Manuscript Found from which Joe 
did not make his Bible. It was written by Reed 
Peck, who was a Mormon, was with Joe Smith in 
New York, Ohio and Missouri ; who was with the 
Mormons all through the Missouri Zion, who saw, 
heard and handled Joe Smith the Prophet ; Reed 



Peck, who witnessed and recorded at the time the 
secrets of Mormonism, the treasonable utterances, 
the criminal conduct, the crimes committed, by Joe 
Smith himself, and his band of deluded followers. 
Yes, Reed Peck, who was an officer of the Danite 
band, who delivered Joe Smith over to the State 
troops just in time to avert a bloody battle! Reed 
Peck, whom Joe called the "Mormon Judas." 
Would not a history written by our Judas, written 
at the time when he was with the man of Galilee, be 
interesting-? Well, in this book I give you the 
history so written by the Mormon Judas, but the 
facts show that this man saved instead of betrayed 
his master. 

Now let us, Mormons and "Gentiles," see if 
Mormonism proves its case by a preponderance of 
evidence ; if not, it is that anti-Christ the Gospel of 
Galilee foretold should be in the last age of the 
world. 

Then let us read what Joe Smith's contempora- 
ries say, and the Manuscript Found, and thank God 
that we are all safe so far as the Book of Mormon 
is concerned; for it is a fraud so clumsily perpe- 
trated that it stands self -convicted, and "the way- 
faring man, though a fool, need not err therein." 



CHAPTER II. 

Peepstone Joe — Alcohol or Angel — Joe Wallow- 
ed — Prophet Ducked. 

Joseph Smith, Jun. (Mormon Prophet to be), was 
born at Sharon, Vermont, December 23d, 1805. 
Ten years after, April, 181 5, his father and the 
family moved to Palmyra, N. Y. Seventy repu- 
table men who knew, stated under oath that this 
Smith family was ignorant; that the males were 
drunkards, blasphemers, liars, thieves; who put in 
their time digging for hidden treasures of the Cap- 
tain Kidd kind, and defrauding their neighbors. 
Reputable citizens aver under oath that these 
Smiths were a low, wicked household and Joe the 
worst of the lot. These facts are so conclusively 
proven that Mormonism has to admit them and 
claim that Joe repented, was converted. In the 
foregoing pages I said that Joe was of the Devil, 
and here is the proof — Joe was the worst of the lot. 
Mormonism must prove Joe's reformation, regenera- 
tion; but "by their fruits ye shall know them," 
and Joe's subsequent career makes such proof 
impossible. His life from Peepstone to Polygamy 
is confirmation that if you train up a child in the 
way he should not go, when he is old he will not 
depart from it. 

As a New York school boy in his "teens" history 
and sworn testimony show us Joe with what he 



IO 



called "peep stones," which he held in his hat, his 
hat over his face, pretending to see things in the 
stones, tell fortunes, discover hidden treasure, etc. 
This is important, for it proves the superstitious, 
tricky character of the boy who is soon claiming to 
see Heavenly things, and to be able to make divine 
revelations. 

Religious revivals broke out over that part of 
New York. When the excitement was intense, 
men and women "had the power," fell in a trance, 
and under the influence of the spell told of 
Heavenly visions, made revelations, etc, etc. From 
"Peepstone" revealing of hidden treasure, to 
Heavenly revelations by "having the power" was 
right in Joe's line. He saw how he could improve 
his specialty — he would do his "peepstone" tricks 
on a grander scale, under the cloak of religion, 
instead of in his hat. 

Accordingly, in April, 1820, when Joe was fifteen 
years old, he had a vision, and said God the Father 
and Jesus Christ came to him, told him his sins 
were forgiven, that all the denominations were 
wrong and that he was chosen to re-introduce 
Gospel and Kingdom. 

But September 21, 1823, Joe got drunk, swore, 
lied and swindled, contrary to revelation. 

Train up a child in the way he should not go and 
when he is eighteen years old like Joe Smith, he 
will not depart from it. Yet Joe claims that while 
in bed drunk, this September 21st, an angel came to 
him, told him the history of the ancient inhabi- 



II 

tants of America was engraven on gold plates and 
hidden in a hill between Manchester and Palmyra, 
in Western New York. Whether it was angel, or 
alcohol, that gave Joe inspiration, is the question ; 
for although drunk on September 21st, yet on Sep- 
tember 2 2d he claims that he found the plates in 
the place to which he was directed. Devils and 
angels strove there, but we are not told which side 
Joe took ; however, the Devil beat a retreat. 

Yet Joe Smith is the only ivitness, as I stated in fore- 
going pages. 

January 18, 1827, Joseph Smith married Emma 
Hale. Mrs. Martha Carpenter, who saw the wed- 
ding party go by, is now living at Addison, N. Y. 
The house in which he was married now stands on 
the Fair Grounds at Af ton, N. Y. And here is a 
strange providence! In this rural neighborhood 
where Joe went to school some, where he graduated 
in peepstone imposture, where he dug for, but did 
not find his plates, where he was tried for crime, 
where he was married, where he baptised the first 
Mormon convert, where he tried to imitate Christ 
by walking on the water and got ducked in the 
trick — here lived and died Reed Peck, and here was 
the Peck "Manuscript Found." The fake revela- 
tions of Peepstone Joe, and the unmasking revela- 
tions of honest Reed Peck, God places here side by 
side! "The first shall be last and the last shall be 
first." 

September 22, 1827, eight months after his wed- 
ding, Joe pretends he received the plates from the 



12 



Angel Maroni. The responsibilities of wedded life 
made business urgent, so the plates Joe pretends to 
have left in the hill for four years after discovery 
{1823 to 1827) Joe claims to dig up eight months 
after marriage. 

Why leave them there four years? Peepstone 
Joe, the impecunious; Joe the juggler and digger 
for gold; this Joe claims he found gold, gold plates 
7x8 inches, and, altogether, six inches thick; yet 
this "dead broke" Joe left them in the hill near the 
public highway! Left them for some one else to 
get drunk and discover! Joe four years in poverty 
and a fortune in the hill ! 

Yes, but Mormonism claims that Joe was obeying 
revelation ! 

Well, Joe got drunk after revelation and discovered 
the plates before he had hardly time to get sober; 
if gold plates were really there Joe would have had 
another drink that would have snatched them up 
before anyone else got a chance at them. 

It was in this vicinity that Joe declared no one 
could lay impious hands on his divine person. Joe 
strode into the yard of James Aplington; the 
family looked out and saw their son, Nathan, a 
bold lover of truth, wallowing His Holiness in the 
dirt! They pulled off the gigantic and courageous 
Nathan, and asked the trouble. He answered, 
"This Prophet has said no one dare lay hands on 
him ! I have proved that he lies. ' ' 

Here I copy from the history and records of this 
same town of Afton, N. Y., Joe's water-walking 



13 

trick, and his trial for a criminal offense. It is 
Joe's history, not controversial statement — just 
cold, solemn facts — that is, if the * 'yellow dog" 
devil is a solemnity. Afton people can tell you 
about it; John Chamberlain, the son of the magis- 
trate that tried Joe lives there now. The river is 
there Joe tried to walk ; the river that hid from Joe 
the fact that the board he placed under the water to 
walk on was misplaced ; the river that swallowed 
Joe as the sea overwhelmed Pharaoh, and prevented 
the spectators swallowing the blasphemous trick. 
The river is one of God's honest creations, and Joe 
could not bribe it to act dishonestly to aid him, as 
he did Martin Harris, Whitmer and Cowdery in the 
Gold Bible trick. The river is rippling and chuck- 
ling with laughter over Joe's spectacular ducking, 
and so are the people, unto this day. 

[From History of Chenango County, N. K.] 

"Joe Smith, the founder of Mormonism, operated 
quite extensively in this town [Afton, N. Y.] and 
vicinity during the early years of his career as a 
prophet. The reputation of the family was very bad 
and Joe was considered the worst of the whole. Some- 
where about 1828 or 1829 Smith made his appear- 
ance in Afton and attended school in District No. 
9. Here his supernatural powers manifested them- 
selves by telling fortunes or "foretelling futurity." 
This was done by placing a stone in his hat and 
then looking into it drawn over his face so as to 
exclude the light. He first organized a society at 



14 

the house of Joe Knight, on the south side of the 
river, near the Lobdell House, in Broome County. 
Excavations were made in various places for 
treasures, and rocks containing iron pyrites were 
drilled for gold. Previous to digging in any place 
a sheep was killed and the blood sprinkled upon 
the spot. Lot 62 was the seat of one of these 
mining operations. 

w To convince the unbelievers that he did possess 
supernatural powers he announced that he would 
walk upon the water. 

"The performance was to take place in the even- 
ing, and to the astonishment of unbelievers, he did 
walk upon the water where it was known to be 
several feet deep, only sinking a few inches below 
the surface. 

"This proving a success, a second trial was 
announced which bid fair to be as successful as the 
first, but when he had proceeded some distance into 
the river he suddenly went down, greatly to the 
disgust of himself and proselytes, but to the great 
amusement of the unbelievers. 

"It appeared on examination that plank were laid 
in the river a few inches below the surface, and 
some wicked boys had removed a plank which 
caused the prophet to go down like any other 
mortal. 

"After pretending to heal the sick, cast out 
devils, etc. , he gained quite a number of followers, 
but at length came to grief by being prosecuted as 
an impostor. He was tried before Joseph P. Cham- 



15 

berlain, a Justice of the Peace. Two pettifoggers, 
by the name of John S. Reed and James Davidson, 
volunteered to defend him. Three witnesses were 
examined on the occasion, all of whom testified 
that they had seen him cast out devils. They saw 
'a devil as large as a woodchuck leave the man 
and run across the floor' ; one of them saw a devil 
leave the man and 'run off like a yellow dog.' 
These witnesses were Mr. Knight and son, and Mr. 
Stowell, all of whom subsequently went west with 
Smith. 

"Preston T. Wilkins, of Ashtabula Co., Ohio, 
lived in Broome County., near the line of Afton,'at 
the time of the Mormon excitement, and while on a 
visit to a Mormon family learned that there was a 
chest of Mormon Bibles in the barn, that it was 
guarded by an angel, and that it would be utterly 
impossible for anyone to steal one of them. 

"Mr. W. prepared a key that would unlock the 
chest, and taking one of their Bibles carried it 
home in the evening and placed it over the front 
door, so that it would fall into the house on opening 
the door. The result was what he had anticipated, 
and the Mormons declared that an angel had 
brought the book, and of course Mr. W. and his 
wife would become converts at once. The Mor- 
mons had been laboring for some time to convert 
Mrs. W., and had caused her much anxiety and her 
husband considerable trouble which he wished to 
end. They would never acknowledge that one of 
their books was missing. Some time afterw T ard Mr. 



i6 



W. explained the miracle of the Bible and informed 
the Mormons that they must keep away from his 
house as he would no longer listen to their imposi- 
tions. About 1 83 1 most of them went west where 
the saints had been commanded to assemble." 

Photograph these scenes in memory for they are 
the cradle pictures of Mormonism. The lying 
blaspheming, swindling, etc., of the Smiths are the 
lullabies of Mormonism. The drunken debauches, 
the peepstone tricks, the criminal trials, the unhal- 
lowed mockeries and blasphemous impostures, are 
nursery tales of Mormonism! This is how it was 
born and cradled ! They are the birth records and 
birth-marks of Mormonism ! Did it ever outgrow 
them? 

You see the Devil making the Mormon Prophet, 
Joe Smith, and what he was made of! Did he ever 
outgrow it? 

Here is the Satanic stuff he was created from, 
and here stands Joe Smith, resurrected by his 
neighbors and his own family, all sworn to the 
truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! 
Is this debauched trickster a prophet of God? Yet 
this is the one, the sole and only one who made the 
book by which God will save, or damn the world ! 
But these are only the nursery tales ; wait till you 
hear the monstrous "realism" of this Satanic 
romance when it reaches the adult climax ! 



CHAPTER III. 

List of Joe's Find — Joe Impeached — The Three 
Witnesses and Fake Voucher Demolished. 

September 21, 1823, Joe is drunk. He claims God 
sent an angel to him that day, while he was in bed, 
and the angel makes revelations about the plates. 

Next morning, September 2 2d, he goes to the 
hill of Cumorah, finds the stone box, looks at the 
gold plates, sees the angel, has a struggle with imps 
of the air, gets more revelation, covers up the box 
and lets the salvation of the world take a four-year 
vacation. 

After the vacation, in 1827, when Joe was 
twenty-two, he goes, on the morning of September 
22, alone, too, and he again tackles the stone box 
and the powers of darkness he fought before. Joe 
is not afraid — of his own story. 

What did Joe find? 

The Book of Mormon, third European edition, 
mentions the following as the find: Plates of 
Laban ; brass plates of Lehi ; brass plates of Lehi 
abridged by Nephi ; brass plates of Nephi histori- 
cal ; brass plates of Nephi ministerial ; ore plates of 
Nephi; plates of Zarahemla; plates of Mormon; 
plates with records of Jacob-Benjamin; plates with 
record of Zeniff; plates of Ether; plates of Alma; 
plates of Jared's voyage; copies of Sons of Mosi- 
ah's studies; records kept by the North emigrants; 



i8 



twelve epistles of prophets; the "Compass of 
Lehi"; the sword of Laban; stone of Coriantumr; 
sixteen stones "God touched with his finger"; two 
stone interpreters of Mosiah ; two stone interpreters 
of Jared's brother; white stone of Gazelem; a 
brass breast-plate; Mormon's abridgement of the 
whole history; and MaronVs plates, which (Maroni's) 
Joe pretended to translate to make the Book of 
Mormon. 

But remember that no one went to the box but 
Joe, no one saw it but Joe ; that the whole find, and 
whole list, is only Joe's liar developing as he 
grows from peepstones to plates. Joe has played 
the part of fakir so long that he knows how. He 
could have filled the hill as easily as he did the box, 
since the list was created by his truthless imagina- 
tion. 

Let others state his sleight-of-hand performances 
with facts. 

November 3, 1833, eleven citizens of Manchester, 
N. Y., made the following affidavit: "We, the 
undersigned, being personally acquainted with the 
■family of Joseph Smith, Sen., with whom the Gold 
Bible, so-called, originated, state, that they are not 
only a lazy, indolent set of men, but also intemper- 
ate, and their word not to be depended on. ' ' 

"Paulon Butts, A. H. Wentworth, 

Warden A. Reed, Moses C. Smith, 

Hiram Smith, Joseph Fish, 

Alfred Stafford, Horace N. Barnes, 

James Gee, Silvester Worden." 
Abel Chase, 



19 



December 4, 1833, fifty-one other respectable 
neighbors of Joe's signed and swore to the follow- 
ing: "We, the undersigned, have been acquainted 
with the Smith family for a number of years while 
they resided near this place, and have no hesitation 
in saying that we consider them destitute of that 
moral character which ought to entitle them to the 
confidence of any community. They were particu- 
larly famous for visionary projects; spent much of 
their time in digging for money which they pre- 
tended was hid in the earth. Joseph Smith, Sen. , and 
his son Joseph in particular ■, were considered entirely 
destitute of moral character and addicted to vicious habits. 



Geo. N. Williams, 
Clark Robinson, 
Lemuel Durfee, 
E. S. Townsend, 
Henry P. Alger, 

C. E. Thayer, 
Geo. W. Anderson, 
H. P. Thayer, 

L. Williams, 
Geo. W. Crosby, 
Levi Thayer, 
R. S. Williams, 
P. Sexton, 

M. BUTTERFIELD, 

S. P. Seymour, 

D. S. Jackways, 
John Hurlbut, 
H. Linnell, 
Linus North, 
Jas. Jenner, 

S. Ackley, 
Josiah Rice, 
Jesse Townsend, 
Rich'd D. Clark, 
Th. P. Baldwin, 
John Sothington, 



Durfey Chase, 
Wells Anderson, 
N. H. Beckwith, 
Philo Durfee, 
Giles S. Ely, 
R. W. Smith, 
Pelatiah West, 
Henry Jessup, 
Thos. Rogers, 2d, 
Wm. Parke, 
Josiah Francis, 
Amos Hollister, 
G. A. Hathaway, 
David G. Ely, 
H. K. Jerome, 
G. Beckwith, 
Lewis Foster, 
Hiram Payne, 
P. Grandin, 
L. Hurd, 
Joel Thayer, 
E. D. Robinson, 
Asahel Millard, 
A. Ensworth, 
Israel F. Chilson. 



s«,* j MAde 



H 



no jl^ci* 



20 



Levi Lewis: "Know Smith to be a liar. Saw him 
intoxicated at three different times while pretend- 
ing to translate the Book of Mormon." 

Henry Harris: "The character of Joseph Smith 
for truth and veracity was such that I would not believe 
him under oath. I was once on a jury to a Justice's 
Court, and the jury could not and did not believe his testi- 
mony to be true. Henry Harris." 

State of Ohio, ) 

Cuyahoga County, ) * 

Personally appeared before me, Henry Harris,, 
and made oath in due form of law, that the fore- 
going statements subscribed by him are true. 

Jonathan Lapham, 
Justice of the Peace. 

These sixty-four reputable citizens, who lived 
near Joe were liars, or Joe was a liar. The sixty- 
four were under oath ; Joe tells his story and makes 
out the list of the find without being tongue-tied 
by any oath. Sixty-four sworn reputables to one 
reprobate! Now do you believe Joe? 

The Smiths never controverted these affidavits, 
which is a silent plea of guilty. They left, which 
is equivalent to — no defense. 

We must then accept the affidavits as true, 
believe that Joe is a liar, and so his story, so far, is 
unworthy of the credence of men; and certainly 
without the sanction and cooperation of angels 
and God! 

Joe's story destroys itself; for he states in his 



autobiography that, after receiving the plates, he 
was "waylaid by two ruffians, one armed with a 
club; still keeping the plates, etc., concealed, Joe 
beats them off, runs from them, and arrives at his 
father's house, a two-mile run, before them." Joe 
carried the plates, 7x8 inches— 56 inches x 6 
inches thick=336 cubic inches of gold; belittle it to 
150 pounds; also a brass breast-plate, Laban's 
sword, stone interpreters, and the brass ball with 
spindles — thus handicapped, he outfights and out- 
runs the two untrammelled ruffians, for two miles, 
and makes the home stretch to his father's without 
uncovering an article of his elephantine load ! Joe 
deliberately wrote and published the foregoing for 
truth. Average intelligence will call it the pen 
portrait of a liar sketched by himself. 

If the sixty-four affidavits need corroboration, 
there it is, two miles long, weight about 300 
pounds, the weight of Joe and his handicap. 

Now, if we admit that Joe would deny the truth 
of the affidavits, we make Joe equal to sixty-four 
reputable men ; and as J oe here flatly smashes his 
own reputation for truth in this race story, it is 
sixty -four man-power smashing Joe's reputation 
for truth. The result is the same either way. 

The very remarkable thing about the sto^is that 
Joe did not advertise for the ruffians he outran and 
have them to corroborate a statement he knew no 
one would believe. 

So far our inquiry settles these facts : A nobody 
called Joe Smith, whom scores of somebodies swear 



is morally nobody, went without anybody to a task 
he knew would be questioned by everybody ; yet this 
nobody, for fear he would be exposed by some- 
body, was accompanied by nobody ; and afterwards 
this nobody who is not believed by anybody, tells 
somebody a story that is disbelieved by everybody. 

But Mormonism declares that Joe did find some 
plates, for he showed them to three witnesses. 

Well, here is the voucher as manufactured by Joe : 

The Testimony of Three Witnesses. 

1 * Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues 
and people, unto whom this work shall come, that 
we, through the grace of God, the Father, and our 
Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which con- 
tain this record, which is a record of the people of 
Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, 
and also of the people of Jared, who came from the 
tower of which hath been spoken ; and we also know 
that they have been translated by the gift and 
power of God, for his voice hath declared it untc* 
us ; wherefore we know of a surety that the work 
is true. And we also testify that we have seen the 
engravings which are upon the plates; and they 
have been shown unto us by the power of God and 
not of man. And we declare with words of sober- 
ness that an angel of God came down from heaven^ 
and he brought and laid before our eyes, that 
we beheld and saw the plates, and the engraving 
thereon ; and we know that it is by the grace of 
God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ that we 



23 

beheld and bear record that these things are true, 
and it is marvellous in our eyes, nevertheless the 
Lord commanded us that we should bear record 
of it, wherefore, to be obedient to the commands of 
God, we bear testimony of these things. And we 
know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid 
our garments of the blood of all men, and be found 
spotless before the judgment seat of Christ, and 
shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. 
And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, 
and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen. 

"Oliver Cowdery, 
David Whitmer, 
Martin Harris." 

This is not an affidavit sworn to and signed, but 
merely so many written lines without date or place, 
followed by three signatures. Not three separate 
writings with three separate signatures, but one 
writing. There are not three testimonies, but one; 
hence not three witnesses without collusion, but 
three of Joe's followers who sign a statement Joe 
makes and writes, instead of each making his own 
statement for himself and signing it. There are 
not three witnesses, but one y and that one is Joe. 
Cowdery did not write it, for he was a school teacher 
and would not have stated, nor written, "the tower 
of which hath been spoken." Harris was a farmer 
and incapable of it. The Reed Peck manuscript of 
this book shows it was not Whitmer's style. But 
turn to Smith's Doctrines and Covenants, page 



2 4 

173, compare the words and style and you have the 
author of the writing his three dupes signed. 

The three men did not know what they signed, 
or if they did they knew it was false ; for the three 
renounced Joe and Mormonism and this writing 
they signed, by apostatizing, as Mormon history 
shows, and the Peck manuscript in this book con- 
firms. If, as this writing states, to these three men 
the angel of God came down, showed them the 
plates, and the voice of God commanded them to 
bear record, would they afterwards have been 
swindlers and counterfeiters in Ohio, and Mormon 
apostates in Missouri, betraying the holy Joseph in 
counterfeiting and other crimes? Not if they 
had any Godly fear, and moral character; and if 
they had not these, their names add nothing to 
Joe's writing though signed by them. 

I stated in the first pages of this book that the 
Mormon Bible was the whole case, and that Joe 
was the sole, the only witness. Cowdery, Whitmer 
and Harris drop out, and leave him yet the only 
one; only Joe, impeached by sixty-four of his 
neighbors; exposed by the Peck manuscript, dis- 
credited by the monstrosity of his own story, con- 
victed of imposture by the renunciation and denun- 
ciation of the three men he duped into signing 
their names to the certificate he made. The whole 
Mormon case stands, or falls, with Joe Smith, and 
Joe Smith falls. 

To make assurance doubly sure, let us suppose 
that this worthless piece of paper called "The Tes- 



25 

timony of Three Witnesses, " is a real affidavit with 
date and place, dictated by the signers, instead of 
being manufactured by Smith; sworn to, attested 
by seal of the court, or proper official, what then? 
Why, their apostacy would prove that they did not 
believe themselves under oath! that they were per- 
jurers! They knew the whole thing was a fake, 
expected it to go to pieces and the three were 
unwilling to make oath. Here is the moral charac- 
ter of the three witnesses as recorded by Mormon- 
ism. Read this: Joe Smith says, "Times and 
Seasons," Vol. I, pages 81, 83, 84, that Cowdery 
and Whitmer were guilty of "Stirring up strife and 
turmoil among the brethren in 1838. * * * 
They were studiously engaged in circulating false 
and slanderous reports against the Saints. * * * 
Are they not murderers at heart? Are not their 
consciences seared with a hot iron?" This is Joe's 
opinion of two witnesses on whose signatures rests 
the truth of the Book of Mormon and Salvation of 
the World ! ! 

Hiram Smith, Joe's brother, charges that while 
said Hiram was in prison (the Saint) Oliver Cow- 
dery went to his (Smith's) house, "ransacking and 
carrying off all the valuables ; compelling my aged 
father, by threatening to bring a mob over him, to 
deed over to him about 160 acres of land, to pay a 
note he said I had given for $160 — which note was 
^ forgery.'* Thief, mobber, forger — and foundation 
stone of Mormonism, is Cowdery, according to 
Smith. 



26 



At Independence, Mo., in 1838, Sidney Rigdon, 
the great Mormon satellite, Joe Smith's counsellor, 
charged witnesses Cowdery and Whitmer with 
being " connected with a gang of counterfeiters, 
thieves, liars, blacklegs of the deepest dye." This 
is the declaration of one of the highest dignitaries of 
Mormonism as to the character of its foundation — 
Cowdery and Whitmer. 

Of the third witness, Martin Harris, Joe Smith 
says in Elder's Journal, 1837: "There are negroes 
who have white skins as well as black ones. 
Granny Parish and others who acted as lackeys, 
such as Martin Harris. But they are so far beneath my 
contempt that to notice any of them would be too 
great a sacrifice for a gentleman." Beneath the 
contempt of peepstone, polygamous Joe; but good 
enough for a witness by whose signature God will 
save or damn the world ! 

Martin Harris' own wife, Lucy Harris, avers: 
"He beat me so severely that marks remained more 
than two weeks. * * * Once he struck me over 
the head with the butt of a whip three or four feet 
long." Beating his wife with the butt end of a 
whip, then commissioned from God to prop up 
Mormonism with his signature. The man that 
would put his signature on his wife with a whip 
would sign anything devilish. 

Out of Mormonism's own mouth its witnesses and 
itself, are condemned. The more of such witness 
the worse its case. It is unnecessary to add to the 
Mormon impeachment of the three witnesses, so I 



2 7 

forbear; but you can find more in the Peck manu- 
script, this book, and in the records of criminal 
courts. 

Now turn back to that piece of paper signed by 
the three. Read, "all kindreds, tongues and 
nations unto whom this work shall come" are 
asked to believe that God sent an angel to such 
men to divinely commission them with a revelation 
He withheld from decent people. Believe that God 
who "knows the heart" chose such witnesses to 
certificate a pretended better Bible to the world? 
Believe that Omniscient Deity, that cannot "look 
upon Sin with any degree of allowance," con- 
federated with these " thieves, liars, etc.," and 
made them accomplices in the flimsiest fake in all 
the annals of imposture ! God concealing a better 
Bible in a hill in New York 400 A.D. — four cen- 
turies after He revealed the real Gospel that 
enlightened the world! Believe that God who is 
Good, left us -to be lost by our poorer Bible while 
he waited 1,427 years for Joe Smith, Oliver Cow- 
dery, David Whitmer, Martin Harris, to reveal the 
Book of Mormon when He knew by His foreknowl- 
edge, that the witnesses would apostatize and Joe 
die saying, "If there is any God!" 

Are these the mistakes of the Almighty, or the 
miserable impostures of Joe Smith? 

The whole case of Mormonism stands, or falls, 
with Joe Smith, and Joe Smith falls. 



CHAPTER IV. 

The Eight Witnesses Paper Mormon Suicide — 
The Paper Reduced to Pulp. 

Now comes Mormonism with another voucher 
signed by eight witnesses. Here it is : 

Testimony of The Eight Witnesses. 

"Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues 
and people unto whom this work shall come, that 
Joseph Smith, Jun., the translator of this work, has 
shown unto us the plates of which hath been 
spoken, which have the appearance of gold ; and as 
many of the leaves as the said Smith has trans- 
lated, we did handle with our hands ; and we also 
saw the engravings, all of which has the appear- 
ance of ancient work and of curious workmanship. 
And this we bear record with words of soberness, 
that the said Smith has shown unto us for we have 
seen and hefted and known of a surety that the said 
Smith has got the plates of which hath been spoken. 
And we give our names unto the world, to witness 
unto the world that which we have seen ; and we 
lie not, God bearing witness of it. 

"Christian Whitmer, Hiram Page, 

Jacob Whitmer, Joseph Smith, Sen., 

Peter Whitmer, Jun., Hiram Smith, 

John Whitmer, " Samuel H. Smith." 

Here is the suicidal act of Mormonism — it com- 
mits hari-kari with its own pen. The making of 



29 

this voucher amounts to a written confession of the 
failure of the voucher with three witnesses. Joe 
writes the Book of Mormon and makes it say, 
"there shall be three witnesses," so Joe fixes three, 
and they sign. Joe gets afraid of the three dupes, 
and fixes eight more— easily understood from a 
human standpoint. But if, as pretended, this book 
that said "there shall be three witnesses' ' is the word 
of the unchangeable God, there is no place, no use 
for eight more after the three divinely appointed are 
found. It is imposture suiciding with its own pen! 
Yet, to strengthen the Book of Mormon on this 
point, Smith gets a revelation March, 1829 (see 
Doc. and Co v., page 172), making God say this: 
"I will give unto these three witnesses power that 
they may behold these things as they are, and to 
none else will I give this power to receive this same 
testimony among this generation.''* Now, in fiat con- 
tradiction of this Divine revelation, Joe has eight 
more witnesses in 1830, when in 1829 Divinity com- 
manded, "none else in this generation" — thirty-three 
years! Is this "God who cannot lie" or Joe Smith 
who does? This burns in the brand of imposture. 
The making of this second voucher is Joe's written 
denial of Divine authority in the Book of Mor- 
mon ; for he gets eleven witnesses when the book 
says "There shall be three witnesses"; and it is a 
written confession that the pretended revelation of 
March, 1829, is imposture, for he gets eight more 
witnesses the next year, when the revelation com- 
manded only the three and the three only in this 



3° 

generation. These are the plates so sacred God 
buried them 1,427 years, Joe claims. So sacred he 
must take no one with him when he goes for them 
(very convenient arrangement) ; so sacred he must 
out-fight and out-run two ruffians without uncover- 
ing them ; so sacred that he must translate them 
behind a blanket, his eyes covered with two stones 
and the plates nowhere seen, but hid; so sacred 
only an angel may show them to Joe, and an angel 
must come from Heaven to show them to the three 
witnesses ; so sacred that all persons in that gen- 
eration except the three witnesses were forbidden by 
God to see them — yet here is Joe showing them to 
eight men that freely handled and * 'hefted" them! 
What an insult to common sense ! What an out- 
rage on decency! What Satanic juggling with 
things holy! Why should we believe a book the 
man that made it openly disregards and disobeys? 
Why should we accept revelations the man that 
made them flagrantly ignores? 

Pretending that the plates were "hefted" by, 
and getting the signatures of the eight witnesses, 
was the suicidal act of Mormonism. 

But look at the affidavit itself! Collusion is 
shown in the very names — four Whitmers, three 
Smiths! Smiths! Joe's father, Joe's brothers, 
impeached by scores of reputable persons men- 
tioned in foregoing pages. No need to waste time 
on the Whitmers and Page ; the fact that they are 
found intimate and colluding with the Smiths set- 
tles all questions as to their character. The paper 



3i 

is without date, place, oath and official seal, and is 
worthless as evidence. 

Compare it with the other paper and you see that 
Joe wrote both. Each has the same beginnings, 
each introduces the phrase "of which hath been 
spoken." In each case Joe wrote what he wanted 
signed, and these fellow- and family-accomplices, 
without conscience, obligingly signed. 

Prior to this, Joe said: "When the plates were 
translated they were given back to the angel." The 
fifth and sixth lines of the paper signed by the 
eight read: "as many of the leaves as said Smith 
has translated, we did handle with our hands." 
How could they handle what had been given back 
to the angel? 

How did they know plates were translated except 
Joe's word for it? In this, as in all the rest, Joe is 
the fakir and the eight his jumping- jacks. 

Now mark it, five of these eight witnesses aposta- 
tized ; only three, counting impeached Smith family 
as witnesses, could die with this fraud on the con- 
science — if they had consciences. Of eleven wit- 
nesses, eight apostatize! Hiram Smith shot too 
soon to apostatize, he does not count, and Samuel 
L. Smith did apostatize. Call it o. 

What motive had these eleven witnesses for 
signing the two papers? Such conscienceless 
scamps didn't need any motive; but there was the 
chance to do wrong, all-sufficient motive for them. 

Furthermore, Joe had a revelation commanding 
the?n, that he could club their superstition with. 



32 

Page 189, Doc and Cov., Joe makes God say: 
"You shall testify you have seen them even as my 
servant Joseph saw them." 

This very instructive revelation everlastingly 
clinches what I have shown all along, that Joe is 
the one, the only witness for the Mormon case. 
All witnesses must testify they "have seen even as 
my servant Joseph has seen," no other way. This 
is the one Mormon revelation literally and willingly 
obeyed. None of the witnesses ever saw any 
plates; they merely testified to seeing as Joseph 
saw. To show them the plates would be superflu- 
ous, for what Joseph had seen was to be their testi- 
mony. To show them plates and let them state 
the way they saw things was impossible, because, 
first, there were no plates; second, it jeopardized 
the imposture with chance of contradiction ; third, 
the plates had been given back to the angel and 
were far beyond the reach of such rogues. Hence, 
this convenient revelation, after which Joe wrote 
what purported to be "as my servant Joseph has 
seen them"; this they signed, thus testifying they 
saw as Joseph saw them. There is nothing like 
spontaneous revelation as a tool for rascality. Do 
you really want the motive of these conspirators for 
the damnation of souls? Well, money! Joe had 
been peepstoning and digging for it from boyhood ; 
indeed, the whole Smith family, so their neighbors 
swear in foregoing pages. Now read the following. 

November 28, 1833, Abigail Harris, sister of wit- 
ness Martin Harris, testified: 



33 

"In the early part of the winter in 1828 I made a 
visit to Martin Harris, and was joined in company 
by Joseph Smith, Sen., and his wife. The Gold 
Bible business, so-called, was the topic of conversa- 
tion, to which I paid particular attention, that I 
might learn the truth of the whole matter. They 
told me that the report that Joseph Smith, Jun., 
had found the Golden Plates was true, and that he 
was in Harmon)^, Pa., translating them. The old 
lady said, also, that after the Book was translated, 
the plates were to be publicly exhibited — admittance, 
twenty-five cents. She calculated it would bring in 
annually an enormous sum of money — that money would 
then be very plenty, and the Book would sell for a 
great price, as it was something entirely new ; that 
they had been commanded to obtain all the money they 
could borrow, and repay with gold. The re- 
mainder was to be kept in store for the benefit of 
their family and children. The old lady took me 
into another room, and, after closing the door, she 
said, 'Have you four or five dollars in money that 
you can lend until our business is brought to a 
close? The Spirit says you shall receive four-fold!' 
I told her when I gave I did not expect to receive it 
again, and as for money, I had none to lend. In 
the second month following, Martin Harris and 
Lucy Harris, his wife, were at my house. In con- 
versation about the Mormonites, she observed that 
she wished her husband would quit them, as she 
believed it all false and a delusion. To which I 
heard Mr. Harris reply : * What if it is a lie; if you 



34 

will let me alone I will make money out of it!* I was 
both an eye- and ear-witness of what has been above 
stated, which is now fresh in my memory, and I 
speak the truth and lie not, God being my witness. " 

Abigail Harris was a member of the Society of 
Friends, and universally respected. 
Joseph Capron testified : 

"Manchester, Ontario Co., N. Y., 

Nov. 8, 1833. 

"The whole of the family of Smiths were notori- 
ous for indolence, foolery and falsehood. Joseph at 
length pretended to find his plates. This scheme, 
he believed, would relieve his family from all pecu- 
niary embarrassment. He gave me no intimation 
at that time that the book was to be of a religious 
character, or that it had anything to do with reve- 
lation. He declared it to. be a speculation, and 
said: 'When it is completed, my family will be 
placed on a level above the generality of mankind! 

"Joseph Capron." 

In the affidavit of Lucy Harris, the wife of wit- 
ness Martin Harris, find this: 

"Palmyra, N. Y., November 29, 1833. 
"Whether the Mormon religion be true or false, I 
leave the world to judge; for its effects on Martin 
Harris have been to make him more cross, turbu- 
lent and abusive to me. His whole object was to 
make money out of it. I will give a proof of this. 
One day at Peter Harris' (Abigail Harris' husband) 
house I told him he had better leave the company 



35 

of the Smiths, as their religion was false. To this 
he replied, 'If you would let me alone, I could make 
money out of it. ' It is in vain for the Mormons to 
deny these facts, as they are well known to most of 
his former neighbors. 

"Lucy Harris." 

There you have it in language too plain to need 
comment. The motive of all concerned was 
"making money." Joe Smith did make money. 
He was in peepstone poverty in 1827, and a banker 
in Kirkland, Ohio, in 1831. He made thousands of 
dollars selling to his Saints the town lots of the 
tract of land Dr. Isaac Gall and gave him to found 
the Mormon city of Nauvoo. The lowly Saints 
were deluded, but imposture Joe and the leaders 
were in it for business. The people wanted 
heaven ; Joe wanted cash and a harem. 



CHAPTER V. 
The Authon Lie and The Authon Truth. 

Mormonism tries to save itself with the point 
that Martin Harris took a copy of some of the 
characters of the plates to Professor Atithon. 
They have boldly published that Professor Auth on- 
decided the characters shown were Reformed 
Egyptian, same as Joe claimed for his plates. 
(The Book of Mormon, page 530, contradicts Joe 
on this point — not Egyptian, but Confounded.) 

Now we have only Joe's word that he copied the 
paper sent Authon, from plates, and Joe's word is 
presumptive evidence that he did not, if he said he 
did. He could have copied them from a book or 
books. 

But the following letter from Professor Authon 
exposes the Mormon deception. Mormonism was 
using the Authon falsehood to make converts in 
Ohio in 1834. E. D. Howe of Painesville, O., 
wrote Professor Authon and the following is the 
answer received: 

The Authon Letter. 

"New York, February 17, 1834. 

"Dear Sir — I received your letter of the 9th and 

lose no time in making a reply. The whole story 

about my pronouncing the Mormon inscriptions* to 

be 'Reformed Egyptian Hieroglyphics' is perfectly 



37 

false. Some years ago a plain, apparently simple- 
hearted, farmer came to me with a note from Dr. 
Mitchell of our city, now dead, requesting o£ me to 
decipher, if possible, a paper which the farmer 
would hand me. Upon examining the paper in 
question I soon came to the conclusion that it was 
all a trick, perhaps a hoax. When I asked the per- 
son who brought it how he obtained the writing, he 
gave me the following account: A 'gold book' 
consisting of a number of plates fastened together 
by wires of the same material had been dug up in 
the northern part of the State of Nev? York, and 
along with it an enormous pair of 'spectacles!' 
These spectacles were so large that if any person 
attempted to look through them his two eyes would 
look through one glass only; the spectacles in 
question being altogether too large for the human 
face. ' Whoever, ' he said, 'examined the plates through 
the glasses was enabled not only to read them, but fully to 
understand their meaning.' All this knowledge, how- 
ever, was confined to a young man [Joe] who had 
the trunk containing the book and spectacles in his 
sole possession. This young man was placed behind 
a curtain in a garret, in a farm house, and being 
thus concealed from view, he put on the spectacles 
occasionally, or rather looked through one of the 
glasses, deciphered the characters in the book, and 
having committed some of them to paper, handed 
copies from behind the curtain to those outside. 
Not a word was said about their having been deciphered by 
the gift of God, Everything in this way was effected by 



38 

the large pair of spectacles. The farmer added that he 
had been asked to contribute a sum of money 
toward the publication of the 'golden book,' the 
contents of which would, as he was told, produce an 
entire change in the world and save it from ruin. 
* * * No translation had at that time been made by the 
man with the spectacles. * * * He requested an 
opinion of me in writing, which of course I de- 
clined to give. 

"This paper in question was, in fact, a singular 
scroll. It consisted of all kinds of crooked charac- 
ters, disposed in columns, and had evidently been pre- 
pared by some person who had before him at the time con- 
taining various alphabets, Greek and Hebrew letters, 
crosses and flourishes; Roman letters inverted or 
placed sideways, were arranged and placed in per- 
pendicular columns, and the whole ended in a rude 
delineation of a circle, divided into various com- 
partments, decked with strange marks, and evi- 
dently copied after the Mexican Calendar, given by 
Humboldt, but copied in such a way as not to betray the 
source from which it was derived [the wiley Joe]. I 
am thus particular as to the contents of the paper, 
inasmuch as I have frequently conversed with my 
friends on the subject since the Mormon excite- 
ment began, and well remember that the paper contained 
anything else but Egyptian hieroglyphics. * * * Pub- 
lish this letter immediately should you find my 
name mentioned again by these wretched fanatics. 
1 ' Yours respectfully, 

"Charles Authon. " 



39 

Mormonism has deceived many with the Authon 
argument, by concealing the above denial. The 
letter is interesting, not only for the squelching of 
the Mormon deception, but also for for a disinter- 
ested, early view of Mormonism. The farmer was 
Martin Harris, afterward one the three witnesses. 
It shows Joe behind a curtain in a garret working 
his improved peepstone trick, handing out samples 
of imposture to gaping ignoramuses outside. Joe 
the sole and only witness first, last and all the 
time. At this early stage of the hoax Joe was 
deciphering, not by the gift of God, but "every- 
thing in this way was effected by the large pair of 
spectacles," Harris told Authon— (the old, peep- 
stone Joe). Another good line of the letter is 
"contents of which would, as he was told," etc. 
Harris knew nothing, no one knew anything about 
the plates, except "as he was told" and told by Joe. 
From that garret to his grave, Joe Smith carried 
on his imposture in this way. Joe is the sole and 
only witness ; others know what they are told by 
Joe. "All this knowledge , however, was confined to 
a young man, who had the trunk containing the 
book and spectacles in his sole possession," Harris 
told Authon. So it began, so continues. 



CHAPTER VI. 

From Peepstones to Plates — Garret holy of 
holies — Harris steals 118 pages leaving Mor- 
mon Bible worthless — Joe falls. 

Joe Smith's father-in-law, Isaac Hale, makes 
this affidavit: 

"Harmony, Pa., March 20, 1834. 

"I first became acquainted with "Joseph Smith in 
November, 1825. He was then in the employ of a 
set of men who were called 'money diggers [Joe 
twenty years old then], and his occupation was that of 
seeing^ or pretending to see, by means of a stone placed in 
his hat and his hat placed over his face. In this 
way he pretended to discover minerals and hidden 
treasures. The manner in which he pretended to read 
and interpret his plates was the same [at last we have it 
proved] as when he looked for the 'money diggers' 
with the stone in his hat, and his hat over his face, 
while the book of plates was at the same time hid- 
den away. 

"Isaac Hale." 

"Affirmed to and subscribed before me, March 
20, 1834. 

"Charles Dimon, J. Peace." 

This affidavit contains two important facts; first, 
that in 1825 Joe was with a regular gang of hum- 
buggers, "his occupation seeing and pretending to 
see," when he claims to have been visited by God, 



4i 

forgiven, converted, and to have seen the plates in 
1823! Joe practicing imposture two years after 
regeneration ! The second fact disclosed by Hale 
is how Joe translated his plates ; for some of the 
translating was done at Isaac Hale's house, till, 
satisfied it was all a swindle, Hale drove them off. 
I stated in the outset of this investigation, that 
from "peepstone to plates" was right in Joe's line, 
a natural transition. Hale's affidavit proves it con- 
clusively — peepstone in his hat when a boy at 
school ; peepstone in his hat and hat over his face, 
when a man, over his fake plates. Picture Joe in 
the farmhouse garret as described by Professor 
Authon ; or behind the blanket in other sanctum 
sanctorums, as told by Hale, his consecrated per- 
son hidden, his inspired countenance buried in his 
hat, which, a holely halo, is a tag-mark of a 
Prophet ; or occasionally peepstoneing through the 
giant goggles, the sacred plates he pretends to be 
translating -nowhere to be seen; Martin Harris, 
the Aaron of this Moses, squatting in superstitious 
awe outside the horse blanket that is hung as 
temple veil to this garret holy of holies ; the weird 
silence of imposture, and money-digger mystery 
enshrouding all; nothing but the squeak of an 
irreverent garret mouse breaking and intensifying 
the divine solemnity; the garret clothes-line on 
either side spreading the washing like the wings of 
the Cherubim ; the odor of onions and garret-dried 
herbs for incense ; the peepstone priest dreaming 
the nightmare on which the world is to ride to 



42 

glory, or to the torrid summer resort of the Gen- 
tiles; Martin Harris, with sanctified ears and 
divinely-appointed hands, hearing and writing 
down the nightmare like a recording angel, and 
mentally figuring on the money there is in it ; then 
a tableau of "driving the money changers out of 
the temple, "as Hale righteously throws them both 
outdoors; tableau of "Rebuilding the Temple," as 
they tack up the horse blanket in a new loft ; one 
year, two years, the nightmare of eternal life is 
strained through the horse-blanket, the world 
going to Purgatory for want of a faster filter. This 
is the origin of Mormonism. 

Suppose we admit the enactment of these farcical 
translation scenes; do they strengthen the Mormon 
case? Nay, they destroy it. As the horoscope of 
time throws the moving panorama of translation 
before the world, the pretended divine revelation 
becomes a country farce with Joe and his under- 
studies star buffoons. No rational person can take 
them seriously, for the ridiculous antics of knaves 
and dupes are too grotesque for anything but 
laughter — till one considers that it is done in the 
name of religion, blushes that the actors were men 
and grieves to think of the sin it has wrought ! 

Strengthen the Mormon case? They should hush 
the words plates and translation in their traditions, 
and erase them from their history! 

Here is one incident of the translation farce all- 
sufficient for sample: Professor Authon told 
Martin Harris the whole thing was a hoax, so when 



43 

Harris returned he demanded to see the plates for 
himself. Joe has a spontaneous revelation to meet 
the case, and makes God say (Doc. and Cov., page 
171): " Behold, if they will not believe my words 
[as Joe reveals] they would not believe you, even 
though it were possible for you to show them all 
these things I have committed unto you [Joe]. 
Oh, this unbelieving generation, mine anger is 
kindled against them!" 

See this impostor base enough to lie in the name 
of Deity to carry on his fraud! Harris wilts, but 
makes a cunning test. He steals 118 pages of the 
manuscript translation to compel Joe to re-translate 
the plates while Harris records again; then by 
comparing the new 118 pages with his stolen 118 
pages, Harris could tell whether just the same, as 
divine revelations must be: or, if they varied, 
proving the work Joe's. Did Harris catch the 
foxey Joe? No, sir; for Joe had a sudden 
paroxysm of spontaneous revelation commanding 
him not to translate the 118 pages again, but to 
wait for a fuller translation next book ! Then Joe 
got rid of Harris and made Cowdery scribe, dodg- 
ing the exposure. The 118 pages of what Orson 
Pratt calls sure salvation, or damnation, for the 
world, were never reproduced, so the pretended divine 
machinery jumped a cog; the Mormon salvation 
dragnet has a hole in it big enough to lose 
Gentiles and Saints. How Gentiles can be 
damned, as Pratt says, or fairly judged, when there 
are 118 pages of the book of instructions go?Le, is 



44 

the perplexing question. We have never refused 
to believe the Book of Mormon, for the book has 
never been given to the world, but merely a part of 
it; a mutilated something that lacks 118 pages! 
"The law of God is perfect, converting the soul." 
This is not God's law when lacking 118 pages, for 
it is not perfect, hence does not convert. 

It did not convert Joe, as his life shows, and his 
dying words, "If there is any God"? The world 
has a right to conclude that if the 118 pages were 
not worth ^-producing, the remainder of the book 
was not worth producing. Joe lets 118 pages crash 
into oblivion as if divine revelations were as plenti- 
ful as peanuts ; and less valuable. Why should we 
reverence these pages left of the Book of Mormon 
when Joe treated those with contempt? Joe 
promised a fuller translation, but never fulfilled it, 
for he could not. The book is a serial of history in 
consecutive order, so that 118 pages of 800 B.C. 
would not fit in as 118 pages of 100 B.C. Joe both 
dodged and prevaricated. He couldn't give a 
fuller translation afterwards — unless in this way: 
Levi Lewis testifies that he saw Joe drunk three 
times when translating the Book of Mormon. 
Now, at one of these times, Joe might have made 
a "fuller" translation. 

The truth is, Joe never had any plates, never 
made any translation, as the foregoing disclosures 
conclusively prove, and yet the burden of proof is 
on Mormonism. I prove the negative out of 
sympathy for Mormonism; for there were no plates, 



45 

so Mormonism had to overcome that kind of a 
negative in order to prove there were plates. Their 
negative of no plates was so much harder than my 
negative that I proved mine to make it enjoyable 
for them. No one with Joe in 1823, when he dis- 
covered the plates; alone when, in 1827, he got the 
plates; alone behind the blanket in translating the 
plates, and the plates concealed; alone with the 
plates till he "gave them back to the angel" — Joe 
alone, and only Joe! Joe is the whole case, and 
Joe holocausts in the fire of impeachment, circum- 
stantial conviction, Mormon hari-kari, and the 
wrath of offended Heaven. I say offended 
Heaven, for he faked in the name of religion and 
pretended to give revelations from God that he 
might delude men. Yea, when asked to show the 
plates, he dodged behind a pretended command- 
ment of God forbidding it ! God hiding the Mor- 
mon plates! 

Who believes that the God who gave Moses 
tables of stone to break before all Israel, would 
hide Mormon plates? Who believes that He who 
gave His only begotten Son, would withhold the 
Mormon plates? Who believes that He who 
revealed Himself openly to the world would hide 
the plates? Who believes that He who gave the 
Holy Ghost descending in the form of a dove that 
all might see and believe, would conceal the plates 
that many might doubt and be damned? Who 
believes that He who made the The Word flesh 
that was revealed openly to the world for thirty- 



4 6 

three years, and translated The Word into the 
Gospel, would hide the Mormon plates and give us 
the pretended translation of Joe Smith? Who 
believes that He who rent the Veil of the Temple 
in twain from the top to the bottom, revealing the 
Holy of Holies, to show us that the veil was for- 
ever taken away, would hang up a blanket in a 
garret to make a new holy of holies, with vagrant, 
criminal Joe Smith for High Priest? Joe high 
priest, not once a year and that "not without sacri- 
ficial blood," but Joe day after day for two years, 
while wife-beater Harris and the unutterable 
Cowdery record the secrets of Heaven? 

No wonder Ohio tarred and feathered Joe Smith 
for talking such blasphemous idiocy ! 

It is doubtful if one could succeed with such a 
humbug today, in the searchlight of the greatest 
newspapers of the world. But this was seventy 
years ago, when the omnipresent daily paper, and 
the ubiquitous reporter were unknown. Instead of 
being led by brainy newspaper specialists with 
their fingers on the pulse of the world, as we are 
led to-day, the people of seventy years ago were led 
by forceful, self-assertive leaders of local influence. 
Joe Smith was one of the good wrestlers of his day 
— six feet tall, weight 200 pounds. Look at his 
pictures, read the descriptions of the man — force, 
cunning, tact, bluff, rascality, all there. He 
centered the whole system of fraud in himself, and 
stood alone at every turning point where the 
religious flim-flam could be exposed by accom- 



47 



plices. At these points Joe trusted no one, but 
forced the fraud upon his dupes with his mere 
word j his word was sometimes in the form of reve- 
lation it is true, but the revelation was a fraud atod 
rested solely upon Joe's word. When Harris 
doubted, Joe hushed him with a revelation; yet 
Harris never took the second thought that the reve- 
lation was only Joe's word! The plates were the 
first step, translation the second step, revelation 
the third step, and it never occurred to Joe's fol- 
lowers to take the three steps right back to the hill 
of Cumorah and say: "Joe, we have only your 
word instead of the word of God." Yet it is a 
plain and solemn fact, Mormonism then, Mor- 
monism to-day has in the 
Book of Mormon, only the 
word of Joe Smith, instead 
of The Word of God! 

The whole Mormon case 
stands or falls with Joe 
Smith, and Joe Smith 
falls. 

Mormonism is an in- 
verted pyramid resting on 
the apex and the apex in 
Joe's mouth. Here you 
have it. 

Now, knock out Joe, and 
what becomes of the pyra- 
mid? 




4 8 




It falls, but Joe still 
supports it, illustrating 
Joe and Mormonism 
rightly adjusted to each 
other, and the world ! 

Defeated, disgruntled, ^g^p 
Mormonism tries to hide 
the situation by kicking 
up a dust and diverting attention to questions that 
have nothing to do with the case. Keep your eye 
right on Joe, and hold Mormonism to the only 
point there is in the case — Joe Smith. 

One of these fool questions is: "How could igno- 
rant Joe Smith, scarcely able to read and write, 
how could he produce the Book of Mormon?" 

That is your side of the case, Mister Mormonism ! 
On you is the burden of proof, and it is for you to 
prove how he got it. You have the affirmative, that 
Joe got the Book of Mormon from God. You fail 
to make a prima facie case that he did, and I conclu- 
sively show that he didn't! You show where he got 
it, for that is your business, not mine. You 
trickily try to throw up your job by giving me one 
to do. Then you want to bedevil me all the time 
I am doing it so that I will never get the job done 
and get back to Joe. That is the way you fooled 
the dupes who were the Mormon pioneers — promi- 
nently ears. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Facts of How Joe Made Book of Mormon — 
Spalding Manuscript. 

Now I turn to the great "Gentile" world. With 
you I have no case on hand. With you I would 
just as soon assume the burden of proof, and show 
to a certainty where Joe got his Book of Mormon. 

The Spalding Manuscript. 

In A. D. .1761, Solomon Spalding was born in 
Ashford, Conn., graduated a Dartmouth College, 
was ordained, preached ; then tried merchandising. 
He had a life-long book ambition, and from 1810 to 
1 81 2, inclusive, he wrote a romance to prove that 
the American Indians were the lost Tribes of 
Israel. He called it "Manuscript Found," and it 
gave the journey of the Israelites from Jerusalem 
to America under the command of Nephi and Lehi, 
just as the Book of Mormon does. The historical 
matter of the Spalding manuscript and that of the 
Book of Mormon were identical ; so say many per- 
sons who heard Solomon Spalding read his manu- 
script, and they afterwards read the Book of 
Mormon. Indeed, the plagiarism was so flagrant 
that, when the Book of Mormon was published, 
those who heard the historical names repeated, 
recalled the Spalding manuscript at once, if they 
had ever heard the Spalding names. These per- 
sons got the Book of Mormon, read it, declared it 



5° 

was stolen from the Spalding manuscript, and 
many made affidavits to convince the deluded peo- 
ple. Spalding died in 1816 at Amity, Pa. From 
1818 to 1832 his widow lived at Hartwick, Otsego 
Co., N. Y., and Widow Spalding averred that she 
kept her husband's manuscript there in a trunk in 
1820. When the Book of Mormon came out, they 
looked for the manuscript but it had been stolen. 
Joe Smith's history shows that he was digging at 
Mr. Stowell's, near Hartwick, in 1825, employed 
by Stowell. The trunk containing the Spalding 
manuscript was in a barn at the widow's home. 
The Book of Mormon appeared — the Spalding 
manuscript had disappeared ! Now, knowing the 
character of Joe Smith, as proven in the foregoing 
pages, do you believe that God and Joe Smith got 
together to produce the Book of Mormon, or that 
Joe Smith and that trunk got together? In one 
case Joe is alone and says he found plates; in the 
other the trunk is alone and the manuscript says Joe 
found it — says this emphatically in the pages of the 
Book of Mormon. Joe was alone when he claimed 
to find plates, alone on every other occasion when 
solitude was a necessity; out of sheer force of 
habit Joe took no one with him when he found the 
Spalding manuscript. Hence no eye witness can 
be produced in either case ; but the circumstantial 
evidence is all against Joe in both cases. Remember 
that Joe had a pretended revelation in 1823, claim- 
ing to find gold plates. The world has long 
wondered why Joe covered up the plates and left 



5i 

them four years ! I asked that question myself, fore- 
going pages. I accounted for it by saying that 
Joe found no plates, had only a drunken dream. 
I hit it. Joe had no plates, no way to finish his decep- 
tion. In 1825 he found that lone trunk in the barn 
and carried off all the contents. Widow Spalding 
says the trunk was full, and all went except an 
unfinished story. Joe waited a little to see if the 
things were missed, sorted his plunder, discovered 
the Spalding manuscript and yelled "Eureka!" 
"He was scarcely able to read and write; how 
could he produce the historical learning of the 
Book of Mormon," Mormonism asks. You now see 
that he had the manuscript of a graduate of Dartmouth 
College/ Bat the Mormon admission that he could 
"scarcely read and write" is important, for it shows 
what occupied the time from 1825, when he found 
the manuscript, to 1827, when he began translation. 
Not "Reformed Egyptian," but English was 
enough for ignorant Joe, and it took him two 
years, or nearly so, to decipher the names he never 
heard before, familiarize himself with the ancient 
history of which he knew nothing, and formulate 
his plan. Besides, he got married and spent some 
of the two years in honeymoon. The lapse of time 
is just about right; two years from the trunk-in- 
the-barn-stealing to the trunk-in-the-garret-trans- 
lating! "Young man — trunk — garret, behind 
curtain — translating," says the A.uthon letter in 
this book. With this manuscript Joe is equipped to 
go on with his fraud. The very thing he could not 



52 

do alone, hence would trust no one to do, for fear of 
exposure, Joe finds already done. If Joe had not 
found what enabled him to go ahead according to 
his policy of being alone in the act where an accom- 
plice could betray him, he would have waited not 
only four years, but forever. 

So effectually did this dilemma block his game 
that Joe gave up, and intended to treat what he 
had pretended God came to tell him, as a joke. 
For Peter Ingersoll, Joe's friend, says this in an 
affidavit: " Smith told me the whole affair was a 
hoax; that he had no such book and did not be- 
lieve there was such a book in existence; 'But/ 
said he, 'as I have got the damned fools fixed, I shall 
carry out the fun. ' " (Observe that Joe was not 
equal to reformed English, let alone Reformed 
Egyptian.) Joe's classification of his first disciples 
is a little stronger than I should express it, but he 
knew them better. 

But with the Spalding manuscript hope revives.. 
Now read what Willard Chase testifies : 

"Smith came to me, wanting me to make him a 
chest to put his Gold Bible in, and promised me a 
share in the book to do so. He told me he was 
commanded to keep it two years without letting it 
come to the eyes of anyone but himself." 

Aha! Stole it 1825; "commanded to keep it two 
years'" j that makes 1827! 

Here is the connecting link between Joe in 
Widow Spalding's trunk and Joe pretending to 
take home the gold plates in 1827. We have just. 



53 

been figuring out why he waited the two years from 
1825 to 1827. Bless you, he was commanded of God 
to wait two years ! Spontaneous revelation till the 
steal blew over! The circumstances, viz.: lone 
trunk, Joe near, Joe's habit of taking things, dis- 
appearance of manuscript, Joe telling Ingersoll "no 
such book," telling Chase had book, sequence of 
these filling time right — all connect Joe with the 
manuscript ; Joe's automatic moral coupling worked, 
completed the connection and he had the Spald- 
ing manuscript, which filled Joe's "long-felt want" 
— a writing he could claim as a translation of 
ancient plates. Then Spalding's friends recalled 
his manuscript soon as they heard names in Book 
of Mormon; they read the book, and made the fol- 
lowing affidavits: 

John Spalding, brother of Solomon Spalding, 
testified : 

"Solomon Spalding was born in Ashford, Conn., 
in 1 761, and in early life contracted a taste for lit- 
erary pursuits. After he left school he entered 
Plainville Academy, where he made great pro- 
ficiency in study, and excelled most of his class- 
mates. He soon after entered Dartmouth College, 
with the intention of qualifying himself for the 
ministry, where he obtained the degree of A.M., 
and was afterward regularly ordained. After 
preaching three or four years he gave it up, 
removed to Cherry Valley, New York, and com- 
menced the mercantile business with his brother, 
Josiah. I made him a visit in about three years 



54 

after, and found that he had failed, and was con- 
siderably involved in debt. He then told me he 
had been writing a book, which he intended to have 
printed, the avails of which he thought would ena- 
ble him to pay all his debts. The book was entitled 
the 'Manuscript Found,' of which he read to me 
many passages. It was a historical romance of the 
first settlers of America — endeavoring to show 
that the American Indians are the descendants of 
the Jews, or the lost tribes. It gave a detailed 
account of their journey from Jerusalem, by land 
and sea, till they arrived in America, under the 
command of Nephi and Lehi. They afterward had 
quarrels and contentions and separated into two 
distinct nations, one of which he denominated 
Nephites and the other Lamanites. Cruel and 
bloody wars ensued, in which great multitudes 
were slain. They buried their dead in large heaps, 
which caused the mounds, so common in this 
country. Their arts, sciences and civilizations, 
were brought into view in order to account for all 
the curious antiquities found in various parts of 
North and South America. 

"I have recently read the Book of Mormon, and, 
to my great surprise, / found nearly the same historical 
matter ', names, etc. , as they were in my brother s writings. 
I well remember that he wrote in the old style, and 
commenced about every sentence with, 'And it 
came to pass,' or, 'Now, it came to pass,' the same 
as in the Book of Mormon, and according to the 
best of my recollection and belief, it is the same as my 



55 

brother wrote, with the exception of the religious matter. 
By what means it has fallen into the hands of 
Joseph Smith, Jun., I am unable to determine. 

"John Spalding." 

"Same as my brother's except the religious mat- 
ter," says this witness, and the religious matter 
Joe put in to make a fake Bible, hide plagiarism, 
and fool people. 

Martha Spalding, wife of the John Spalding 
who made foregoing affidavit, and sister-in-law to 
Samuel, made this: 

"I was personally acquainted with Solomon 
Spalding, about twenty years ago. I was at his 
house a short time before he left Conneaut; he 
was then writing a historical novel, founded upon 
the first settlers of America. He represented them 
as an enlightened and warlike people. He had for 
many years contended that the aborigines of 
America were the descendants of some of the lost 
tribes of Israel, and this idea he carried out in 
the book in question. The lapse of time which has 
intervened prevents me recollecting but few of the 
leading incidents of his writing, but the names of 
Lehi and Nephi are yet fresh in my memory, as 
being the principal heroes of his tale. They were 
officers of the company which first came of! from 
Jerusalem. He gave a particular account of their 
journey by sea and land, till they arrived in 
America, after which disputes arose between the 
chiefs, which caused them to separate into different 



56 

bands, one of which was called Lamanites, and the 
other Nephites. Between these were recounted 
tremendous battles, which frequently covered the 
ground with slain, and their "being buried in large 
heaps was the cause of the numerous mounds in 
this country. Some of the people he represented 
as being very large. 

"I have read the Book of Mormon, which has 
brought fresh to my recollection the writings of 
Solomon Spalding ; and / have no manner of doubt that 
the historical part of it is the same that I read and heard 
read more than twenty years ago. The old obsolete style 
and phrases 'And it came to pass,' etc., are the 
same. 

[Signed] "Martha Spalding." 

This woman read both books, and declares the 
historical part identical. Why Joe filled in the 
religious matter, etc., has been shown. 

Henry Lake, a partner of Solomon Spalding, 
spent hours hearing the manuscript read; was 
familiar with it. His evidence is conclusive: 

"Conneaut, Ashtabula Co., O., Sept., 1833. 
"I left the State of New York, late in the year 
1 810, and arrived at this place about the first of 
January following. Soon after my arrival I 
formed a partnership with Solomon Spalding, for 
the purpose of rebuilding a large forge, which he 
had commenced a year or two before. He very 
frequently read to me from a manuscript which he 
was writing, which he entitled the 'Manuscript 



57 

Found, ' and which he represented as being found 
in this town. / spent many hours in hearing him read 
said writings, a?id became well acquainted with their con- 
tents. * * * This book represented the Ameri- 
can Indians as the descendants of the lost tribes — 
gave an account of their leaving Jerusalem, their 
contentions and wars, which were many and great. 
"One time when he was reading to me the tragic 
account of Lab an, I pointed out to him what I considered 
an inconsistency, which he pro??iised to correct; but by re- 
ferring to the Book of Mormon, I find to my surprise that 
it stands there just as he read it to me then. Some 
months ago I borrowed the Golden Bible, put it in 
my pocket, carried it home, and thought no more 
of it. About a week after my wife found the book 
in my coat pocket, as it hung up, and commenced 
reading it aloud, as I lay upon the bed. She had 
not read twenty minutes till I was astonished to find 
the same passages in it that Spalding had read to me more 
than twenty years before from his i Manuscript Found. ' 
Since that I have more fully examined the said 
Golden Bible, and have no hesitation in saying that 
the historical part of it is principally, if not wholly, taken 
from the ' Manuscript Found.* I well recollect telling 
Mr. Spalding that the so frequent use of the words 
'And it came to pass,' 'Now it came to pass,' 
rendered it ridiculous. Spalding left here is 1812. 
I never heard any more from him or his writings 
till I saw them in the Book of Mormon. 

"Henry Lake." 



58 

"Springfield, Pa., September, 1833. 
"* * * 1 boarded and lodged in the family of 
said Spalding, for several months. I was soon 
introduced to the manuscripts of Spalding, and 
perused them as often as I had leisure. That 
which more particularly drew my attention, was 
one which he called 'Manuscript Found.* * * * 
/ have recently examined the Book of Mormon, and find in 
it the writings of Solomon Spalding from beginning to end, 
but mixed up with Scripture and other religious 
matter. Many of the passages in the Book of 
Mormon are verbatim from Spalding. * * * 

"John N. Miller." 

"CONNEAUT, AugUSt, 1833. 

" * * * The historical part of the Book of 
Mormon / know to be the same as I read and heard 
read from the writings of Spalding, more than 
twenty years ago. * * * 

"Aaron Wright." 

"CONNEAUT, AugUSt, 1833. 

" * * * He frequently showed me his writ- 
ings, which I read. I have lately read the Book of 
Mormon, and I believe it to be the same as Spalding 
wrote, except the religious part. 

"Nahum Howard." 

"Artemas Cunningham, of Perry, Geauga Co., 
states as follows: * * * Before showing me 
his manuscripts, he went into a verbal relation of 
their outlines, saying it was a fabulous or romantic 
history of the first settlement of this country, and 



59 

as it purported to be a record found buried in the earth, or 
in a cave, he had adopted the ancient or Scripture style of 
writing. * * * The Mormon Bible I have par- 
tially examined, and am fully of the opinion that 
Solomon Spalding had written its outlines before 
he left Conneaut." 

Observe how well the Spalding manuscript fitted 
Joe's case: ''Buried in the earth" — "Ancient, or 
Scripture style of writing!" Spalding was a 
retired preacher, so naturally wrote Scripture 
style, made a plot for a religio-historical story out of 
habit of thought ; his story pretended to be from 
ancient records buried in the earth which com- 
pelled ancient style, it was to prove that Indians of 
America were descendants of lost tribes of Israel, 
hence consisted of Hebrew history, scriptures, and 
imagined additions, just what Joe wanted ! No 
wonder witness swears, "whole passages verbatim" ! 

Many others made like affidavits, but these end 
all doubt. 

Now Joe started a fraud about plates ; could go 
no further for he had no plates ; was too ignorant to 
forge a translation of ancient plates; would trust 
no one to forge it ; hence at the end of his rope. 
Then the Spalding manuscript and Joe are proxi- 
mate ; the manuscript a romance of ancient history 
Joe could palm off as translation of ancient plates ; 
he can perfect his fraud with it; can't go further 
without it; Joe and manuscript disappear; Book of 
Mormon appears; Spalding's brother and others 



Go 



identify lost manuscript in the Book of Mormon ; 
the religious and other matter added by Joe are so 
plainly and awkwardly Joe's, so conclusively prove 
the plagiarism, that this adds the corroboration 
which convinces and convicts ; I have shown where 
Joe did get the Book of Mormon. 

Now we see why Joe did not reproduce the 118 
pages Harris stole. First, to hide plagiarism Joe 
mixed in things he made by imitating Bible inci- 
dents, etc. , and he could not mix it in the same way 
and with the same words, and he saw Harris would 
catch him. Second, the 118 were only a mixture 
of Spalding and Smith, not revelation, not worth 
preserving. Third, eleven men swear Joe was lazy — 
too lazy to reproduce 118 pages with giant goggles 
and filter them through a blanket to Harris who 
was waiting to catch him and ruin his imposture. 
Fourth, to remove all evidence of his theft, and to 
prevent being caught in faking from the manu- 
script, Joe was burning the manuscript as fast as 
he used it (Joe says he gave it to the angel) ; so it 
was utterly impossible for him to reproduce the 118 
pages! There are others, but these reasons are 
enough — as the Judge said to the boy : A boy told 
the Judge he could give seventeen reasons why 
his father failed to appear in court ; first, his father 
was dead — The Judge told him to omit the other 
sixteen. 

You see that Joe was fast in Harris' trap, but 
fooled Harris with a spontaneous revelation. It 
don't fool Gentiles. We brush off the dust of 



6i 

time; bring out the tracings of the finger of Divine 
Retribution, and lo ! a picture of the imposter fast 
in the trap! 

Corroboration Found in the Book of Mormon. 

To make the Book of Mormon, Joe had to con- 
vert the historical romance of Spalding into a Bible 
— add some religious matter. Hence you find a 
variation of Daniel reading the writing on the wall, 

Book of Mormon, page 235 

Some Apocalypse and Church of Rome, pages 23, 2S 
Variation of Paul's conversion, . . . page 201 
Variation of Peter's escape from prison, pages 232, 251 
Variation lying of Ananias (didn't scare Joe), page 241 

Variation fiery furnace page 401 

Variation Elijah's rain and drought, . . page 417 
Variation Daniel in lion's den, . . pages 489, 495 

Then Shakespeare is translated from plates 
buried 1,200 years before the poet was born: "The 
cold and silent grave, whence no traveller returns.'" 
And this sounds unlike the ancients: "from 
nature up to nature's God." But Joe thought the)- 
sounded well and worked them in rather out of 
date. 

These are only samples of many, but these 
enough to prove a literary cobbler like Joe Smith 
pegging away to hide plagiarism of Spalding by 
plagarizing something everybody knew. 

Now Joe pretended to find a list of articles in 
that hill, enough to start a Museum of Antiquities; 
yet only what he could carry and outrun two rob- 



62 

bers were worth getting. When he sacked Widow 
Spalding's trunk he left only a fragment of a story; 
but when he loots a hill full of gold antiquities of 
priceless value, he leaves enough to start forty 
more polygamous religions! Perhaps that is the 
cause of intemperance. People are getting drunk 
like Joe did, in order to find the gold that Joe left 
in the hill. Seriously, why did Joe leave all that 
gold in the hill? He didn't — there were no plates, 
nothing but a hill which he could not carry away ! 
The absolute proof is, that if Joe had left the rest 
of the find in the hill, he would have gotten it 
afterwards to silence the cry of "fraud!" Scores of 
affidavits were made saying that he was an 
imposter, and everybody said he lied about the 
plates. Why did not Joe open his Museum of 
Antiquities in the hill at twenty-five cents admis- 
sion, as his mother suggested, make a fortune, 
and gag the mouths of a world that was calling him 
a liar? Instead, he gets up the miserable sham of 
three witnesses! then eight witnesses! papers of 
such rot as would not make decent gun wadding! 
Yet a few pioriears swallowed it ! 

Joe not only finds modern poetry on his ancient 
plates, but also translates contradictory Scripture. 
To instance: in the reign of Josiah, King of Judah, 
"the book of the Law was lost," not a copy to be 
had. Now, Joe translates it from these plates. 
These plates were Laban's, who had them in Jeru- 
salem at the very time the book of the law was lost ! Lost, 
and yet engraven on plates where all Jerusalem 



*3 

could see it! Joe, the prophet, did not know Bible 
history. Joe overreached himself. But he is blas- 
phemous enough to claim that God guided him in 
translation! He calls such stuff "inspiration" ! If 
so, it is the kind that put Joe to bed September 21, 
1823, and out of the same bottle. 

Page eleven of the Book of Mormon, Lehi 
prophesies: "These plates shall go forth to all 
nations, never grow dim, nor perish. " Mormonism 
holds to literal interpretation. Yet these plates 
never went to but Joe and eleven witnesses, even 
admitting that lie of three witnesses and eight 
witnesses! And the plates got "dim" so quickly 
Joe could not reproduce 118 pages Martin Harris 
stole! and perished so utterly that Mormonism 
could never produce one to prove its case. 

Again Joe's book says: "We found upon the 
land of promise [Central America] that there were 
beasts in the forests, of every kind ; the cow, and 
ox, and the ass, and the horse." Truth says: 
* 4 The first horses brought to America were imported 
by Columbus on his second voyage, 1493" — (Report 
of Supt. Census of U. S. A., 1852). All authorities 
agree that the cow, ox, ass and horse were not in 
Central America when Joe's pretended plates says 
they were there. It is Joe's ignorance of natural 
history. It is remarkable that Joe was so ignorant 
in that branch of animalology his associations 
made him familiar with that he did not know 
George Washington introduced the ass to America. 

Page 3 of Joe's book makes Lehi leave Jerusalem 



6 4 

because, ' * God directed him in a dream. ' ' Page 411, 
Lehi : "driven out by the people. ' ' Flat contradiction 
of inspiration ! 

Joe did not know that the Hebrews were 
anciently, are now, divided into Israelites and Jews 
— divided before these plates; so, on page 109, 
Nephi tells his brethren, "We are descendants of 
the Jews"; but on page 235 Amalek says, "Nephi 
and his brethren were of the tribe of Manasseh" ; 
hence, Israelites. The tribe of Manasseh were not 
Jews, for Jews are of the tribe of Judah. So Nephi, 
and Amalek, telescope each other, or Joe has had 
more bottled inspiration. 

Pages 517 to 526 of Joe's book gives Jared's 
voyage; a load equal to what was in Noah's ark, 
yet crossing the ocean in eight canoes, "the length 
of a tree. ' ' This ark story was not caused by forty 
days' and forty nights' water, but "40-rod whiskey." 

Page 65 : the Nephites build a temple in America 
"like unto Solomon's." Only eighteen came 
over ; the Nephites, eight persons, only three women, 
go off into the wilderness, separate from the other 
ten — family fuss. Yet within thirty years they 
build a temple like Solomon's! It took Solomon 
with 153,000 men seven years to build the temple. 
Allow triplet increase for the three women, and it 
would have taken the Nephites 100 years to build a 
temple like Solomon's, with the force they could 
census in thirty years. Joe jams 100 years into 
thirty years — I don't mean Joe jams, but jim-jams. 

Page 234 of Joe's book gives the coming of the 



65 

Holy Ghost then, three centuries before Christ came 
— Jesus, who said, "If I go not away the Comforter 
will not come." What an ignorant inspired 
prophet is Joe! But he makes wholesale contra- 
dictions of the New Testament. He takes the 
New Testament in his hand, then pretends to 
translate from the plates the events of our Gospels 
of Matthew, Mark. Luke and John, etc., and calls 
them translations of the plates y to show the plates 
were divinely written; but his ignorance betrays 
him in the worst plagiarism the world ever saw — it 
is a medley of contradictions. 

From page 2 to page 428, are nearly 300 direct 
quotations from the New Testament, claimed to be 
found on ancient plates made centuries before. 
And "King James English!" when the plates were 
''Reformed Egyptian," Joe says, and a "con- 
founded" language the book says. Whole chapters 
of both the Old and the New Testament are literally 
copied with brazen affrontery. 

No wonder Joe anticipates the exposure of his 
translation and whines in his book, "Condemn me 
not because of my imperfections, neither my father 
because of his imperfections, neither them who 
have written before him ; but rather give thanks unto 
God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections 
[verily, we do, Joseph!] that ye may learn to be 
more wise than we have been." 

Here is a pretended divine prophet so conscious 
of his ignorance, incompentency, blundering and 
contradiction that he makes a plea of guilty and 



66 



tries to dodge the penalty with a whine ! A plea of 
** confession and avoidance." 

Finally,. Joe claims his plates were written in 
Reformed Egyptian when the authors were Hebrews. 
Imagine a Hebrew putting the Word of God in any 
language save that he believes God gave him in 
Eden! Joe's own book, page 530, contradicts him. 
Then the plates are gold, and the Hebrews wrote 
only on papyrus and parchment, and their Scrip- 
tures were all in rolls. These are only a few of the 
many things that can be pointed out in the Book of 
Mormon to condemn it as a self-evident fraud and 
convict Joe, the maker of it, of the worst case of 
literary jim-jams known in all history. Then, to 
call this mouthing of "Reformed Egyptian," King 
James vocabulary, modern poetry, and modern 
prose, prickling with contradictions like a barb- 
wire fence; to call this mummery inspiration and 
charge it to Him who says, "as far as the East is 
from the West, so far are my ways from men's 
ways" — oh! it is blasphemy so unutterable, no 
wonder the author was shot exclaiming, "If there 
is any God!" 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Joe's Apostate Wife and Others, Proof Enough 
— Charles Dickens' Opinion. 

Women have more faith than men. Every man 
who remembers a mother will admit that woman is 
last to desert that which she loves, in which she 
believes. Mary stands by the cross ; and the churches 
to-day show three women to one man every Sunday. 
Women are more faithful to the religion they love 
in which they believe. Therefore, when Joe Smith's 
wife apostatized, it was because Mormonism was 
imposture, Joe an impostor, and her wifely love 
could not enslave the loathing conscience of Emma 
Smith ! The same was true of Ann Eliza Young, 
wife of Brigham Young. Wives of the founders of 
Mormonism ! Look at the long list of apostatizing 
women ; enough to condemn the fraud. 

Joe's brother, Samuel H. Smith, Elder of the Mor- 
mon Church, one of the eight witnesses \ apostatized. 
He knew Joe, too, well. Four more cancel their 
signatures, deny the contents of the paper, and 
confirm what I claimed in foregoing pages, that 
the paper was the suicidal act of Mormonism. The 
fate of these signatures betrays the character of the 
three other signatures. 

The three witnesses to the first voucher all apos- 
tatized and five of the eight witnesses to second 
voucher, ditto. Enough of itself to wreck the 
fraud ! 



68 



Thomas B. Marsh, President of the Twelve 
Apostles of the Mormon Church, office next to Joe's; 
Marsh, too, apostatized — Marsh the head and 
(according ( to Joe) Harris the tail: head and tail 
both cut off, clean gone! What a pitiable mon- 
strosity was Mormonism! Jno. C. Bennett, who 
was next to Joe in honor and authority, apostatized 
and exposed Joe's licentiousness, etc. 

Dr. Avard, a leader of the awful Danite band, 
apostatized and exposed what was enough to show 
that Joe was of Satan. Hundreds left in disgast. 
But want of time and space makes the full list 
impossible. This is only a beginning. Look at 
the books written by apostate Mormon leaders! 
See in this book the revelations of Reed Peck's 
account, written when with the Mormons, standing 
by its cradle, seeing and recording the beginnings 
of the imposture ! Reed Peck was an officer in the 
Danite Band. This band was a Military, not a 
musical organization, and a Mormon factor that 
needs only to be added to Joe Smith, Sidney Rig- 
don, the Three Witnesses, the Eight Witnesses, 
fake plates, blasphemous translation, Polygamy, 
and Apostasy, to end Mormonism, when you think 
that "the whole is equal to the sum of its parts" — Mor- 
monism these, and nothing more. Do you wonder 
that its christening was tar and feathers in Ohio ; its 
first pants the treasonable Danite uniform in Mis- 
souri; its first *'f till dress," drunken debaucheries 
in Illinois, and its adult birthday party a mob at 
Carthage that shot the impostor of this imposture ? 



CONCLUSION. 

At the outset of this inquiry, I stated that the 
Book of Mormon was the whole case and Joe the only 
witness to the book. 

Joe fell, impeached, proven "entirely destitute of 
moral character," his oath before a jury not 
believed. 

He is conclusively proven an impostor. 

He is proven a defrauder, tarred and feathered 
in Ohio. 

He is shown an insurrectionist, an inciter of 
murder and treason in Missouri. 

Here is the record charge : Richmond, Mo., No- 
vember 12, 1838, Fifth Judicial Circuit, State of 
Missouri: "State of Missouri vs. Joseph Smith, 
Jr. , Hyrum Smith and others ; who were charged 
with the several crimes of High Treason against 
the State, Murder, Burglary, Arson, Robbery and 
Larceny." 

The Peck manuscript, this book, covers this case. 

The records of Hancock County, 111., books "R" 
and "I," show Joe's transfers of property to wife 
and child and bankrupt application in 1841. 

For Joe's licentious conduct in 1842, disclosures 
so abhorrent I leave them out this book (see 
Chicago A?nerican of July 28, and August 1, 1842; 
the Cincinnati Gazette of July 27, 1842). 

"If you see it in the Sun it's so," and I copy 
from the New York Sun of August 5, 1842: "He 
stands before us a swindler of his community, an 



70 

impious dictator over free will, and now in his most 
glaring, and even hideous aspect — a libertine un- 
equalled in civilized life — a Giovanni of some dozen 
of mistresses, and these acquired under the garb of 
prophetic zeal." This is Joe Smith in 1842. 

The New York Semi- Weekly Tribune, Sept. 14, 
1869, gives account of a trial in Salt Lake City in 
which Jos. F. Smith proves his father, Hyrum and 
Prophet Joe, polygamists in theory and practice. 
Joe is obliterated, wiped off the record, as the only 
witness to the Book of Mormon, and becomes a 
boomerang that annihilates the book. Then — 

The book is proven a fake. 

This proof that the Book of Mormon is a fraud is 
confirmed by the apostacy of the very witnesses the 
book claims divinely appointed to prove it from 
God. 

The book is proven worthless because it lacks n& 
pages one of its divine witnesses stole. 

The Book of Mormon is proven to be the "Manu- 
script Found" of Solomon Spalding, fixed up by 
Joe, made the worst medley of contradictions, 
rankest plagiarism, most blasphemous assumption, 
most devilish theology and damnable fraud, the 
world has ever known ! 

Misguided Mormons should renounce it; flee 
from it; accept the Bible from which Joe plagiar- 
ized the only good things in their Book, or the 
awful alternative put by Orson Pratt overtakes 
them— "IF FALSE, NONE CAN BE SAVED 
AND RECEIVE IT." It is proven false. 



Mormon Wife No. i on the Arrival of Wife No. 2r, 

Our husband has taken another wife, 
' Twas lonesome with twenty 'round, 
An' so the Church sealed number twenty-one, 

An' now, a new favorite 's found! 
She '11 set at the head of the table, too ; 

Be foremost in ev'ry thing: 
Her whim will be law, an' she '11 have the first — 

New bonnet that 's bought next Spring ! 

I married Joe Smith thirty years ago. 

My Mormon belief wuz firm ; 
But when he brought home jest a second wife more, 

My conscience begin to squirm. 
Fer, though the Smith family wuz alius famed, 

As bein' a numerous breed, 
The thought of his havin' a single wife more, 

Wuz fur from my Mormon creed ! 

I thought when we married, us two wuz one, 

One fie sh should the twain e'er be ! 
Us wives now make twenty odd kinds of flesh, 

As bad as town hash can be ! 
Instead of my bein' his ' 'better half," 

The queen of his home and heart, 
He 's brought me to one-twenty -first of one-half, 

Or worse than a forty-tooth part ! 

I, once a whole woman, have dwindled down 

To a forty-tooth part of man '. 
An' what will I be if he still goes on 

Pursuin' this Mormon plan ? 
My children 's mixed up with his other wives' brats, 

Till, now when a young one falls, 
Us twenty-odd mothers of ninety-three kids 

Can't tell whose it is that squalls ! 



72 



He 's married to sisters of wives he 's got, 

Till children can't tell if ma 
Is mother, or aunt ; or whether their pap 

Is father, or uncle-in-law ! 
An' I who wuz first in his heart am last ! 

Each year crowded farther back — 
His love growin' colder ; I shall die with — without 

Gettin' a Sealskin Sacqtie ! 

Last week I jest asked him fer twenty cents, 

He looked at me, cold an' blank, 
Then pintin' to us twenty wives he whined, 

" Do you think I'm a Rothschild bank! " 
An' now here 's one more to divide with us — 

An' she '11 get the "lion's share ! " — 
Except, when she grabs fer his old bald head 

She '11 not get her part of hair! 

An' here I am, now, with my wrinkled face, 

An' she with her dimpled cheek ! 
Kin I with my old withered charms hold part 

Of love that is scattered an' weak ? 
An' yit I must love her that 's crowdin' me out, 

Be slave to my husband's wife! 
An' nineteen more women all jammed in his heart! 

But sich is the Mormon life ! 

But, some day, the Angel of Death will come, 

And then the dear man must go ! 
How mournful his funeral rites will be 

With twenty-one widows in woe ! 
Our forty-two eyes all sheddin' tears, 

His ninety- three children 'round — 
How stylishly grand the procession will be, 

Stretched out to the buryin' ground ! 



73 



At last, when we 're all layin' side by side, 

Smith's graveyard will be immense! 
The children's white headstones all in a row 

Will look like a picket fence ! 
An' when the last trump that awakes the dead, 

Shall echo through heaven's dome, 
Smith's fam'ly will mount up the "golden stairs" 

Like Camp Meetin' goin' home ! 

Lu B. Cake. 



Charles Dickens on Mormonites.* 

4 'Our age, among other curious phenomena, has 
produced a new religion, designated Mormonism, 
and a new prophet, named Joe Smith. Within the 
last twenty-five years the sect founded by this man 
has risen into a State and swelled into the number 
of three hundred thousand. It exhibits fanaticism 
in its newest garb — homely, wild, vulgar, fanati- 
cism — singing hymns to nigger tunes and seeing 
visions in the age of railroads. * * * His 
[Joe's] religion presents, accordingly, two marked 
phenomena : immense practical industry, and pitia- 
ble superstitious delusion! What the Mormons 
do seems to be excellent; what they say is mostly 
nonsense. 

"It appears from all the evidence, in fact, that 
this Book of Mormon was founded on an historical 
romance, written by an American author some 
years before prophet Smith's time. 

"He had occasional revelations to suit each new 
phase in his career. He professed to work miracles 
and to cast devils out of the bodies of brother 
Tompkins and brother Gibbs whenever they were 
troubled with them. 

"His revelations are the oddest compositions — 
Scriptural phrase and sturdy business blended. 
4 Verily I say unto you, let my servant Sidney Gilbert 
plant himself in this place and establish a store. ' 

^Household Words (a monthly journal conducted by Charles 
Dickens) Saturday, July 19, 1851. 



75 

This is an odd weaving together of velvet and 
fustian: like using 'Raphael's Madonna' for a 
public house sign. 

"Unhappily, Joseph was ludicrously persecuted. 
Prophets are persecuted in all ages. Joe is fero- 
ciously anointed with pitch; the thick, dark fluid 
sticks all over him, and causes the plumage 
mercilessly coated over his sacred person to adhere 
as tightly as if he had really been blessed with 
wings. A saint tarred and feathered is, indeed, a 
new chapter in the Book of Martyrs. It took the 
whole night for the friends of the prophet to 
cleanse his reverend and canonised skin! Yet 
seared and bleared as he was — even as some goose 
plucked alive — Joe preached the next day to his own 
egregious multitude. 

"One does not like to speak with levity of a 
prophet, but, perhaps, the exact adjective for Joe's 
religion is — jolly! It is a jovial heresy; a heresy 
that 'don't go home till morning?' So very 
social in his tastes that he had a tendency to make 
Nauvoo into a kind of New World Oriental Para- 
dise. One of his apostles, Sidney Rigdon, 
broached a doctrine concerning 'Spiritual wives' 
which excited great scandal. ' ' 



To Whom it May Concern: 

"Afton, Chenango Co., N. Y., Feb., 1899. 
"We, the undersigned citizens of Afton, Chenango 
County and State of New York, hereby certify that 
we were acquainted with Reed Peck of this same 
place, now deceased; that we know that he was 
with the Mormons; that we are well acquainted 
with his neighbors and know his reputation among 
them, and with us, to be good in every respect ; he 
was loved and respected by all that knew him. 
"D. A. Carpenter, 

Ex-Sheriff. 

H. R. Caswell, 

Senior Warden of P. E. Church. 

Fred Church. 
M. G. Hill, 

^— ^-*— -^ President Bank at Afton. 

A. T. England, 

SEAL. )• Postmaster. 

P. A. Hayes, M.D. 
Chas. L. Seely, 

Vestryman St. Ann's P. E. Church. 

C S. Landers, 

Farmer and Neighbor. 

H. G. Carr, 

Town Clerk. 

Delos Van Woert, 

Ex-Postmaster, Justice of the Peace." 



State of New York, ) 
Onondaga County, j ss ' 

"We, the undersigned, state that we are members 
of the Reed Peck family by marriage; that to our 
family was given the Reed Peck sketch of Mormon 
history, written by said Peck while with the Mormons. 
That it is dated Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois, 1839. 
That we received it as written by said Reed Peck, 
now deceased, and that we delivered it to Lu B. Cake 
of New York City, in its original form as received 
by us. 

"Robt. E. Greene, 
Amy Kate Greene." 
"Severally subscribed and sworn to before me this 
22d day of February, A.D. 1899. 

"John C. M. Laughlin, 

" Notary Public" 



THE PECK MANUSCRIPT. 

By 

Reed Peck, 

CALLBD BY THEM 

"Thie Mormon Judas." 



CHAPTER I. 

Mormonism in Missouri — Joe Smith in Armed 
Rebellion. 

Quincy, Adams Co., 111., Sept. 18, 1839. 
Dear Friends — Having an opportunity to send 
by private conveyance, I set down to give you a 
sketch of Mormon history. Respecting their trou- 
bles in Mo. you have doubtless read many articles 
in the papers ; but through that channel you cannot 
become acquainted even with the features of their 
story. The record of the court is perhaps the only 
source in Mo. from which the particulars of the 
transaction in Caldwell Co., previous to the war, 
could be obtained, and they are purposely kept 
from the public to favor the sale of a book that is 
now being published upon the subject of Mor- 
monism in Mo. To furnish you with a regular 
chain of events I send you the account entitled 
"Mormons So Called, "which you may rely upon as 



8o 



a correct statement of the difficulties of that people 
in Jackson Co. That they were there persecuted 
for their belief I can never pretend to deny, as 
they were not guilty of crimes or misdemeanors 
that could render them obnoxious to the people of 
that county, and if it had been the forces of that county 
only that they would have had to contend with, then arms 
would not have been surrendered through demand by Lieut. 
Col. Pitcher at the head of the Militia. They appre- 
hended that other counties, with the countenance 
of high authority, would oppose them if they per- 
sisted in maintaining their rights, and their fears 
were not groundless, it being subsequently ascer- 
tained by confession of Silburn W. Boggs, then 
Lieut-Gov., and residing at Independence, Jackson 
Co., that it was by his direction that Col. Pitcher 
acted in disarming the Mormons. This confession 
was made at the close of a protracted and tedious 
military trial, ordered by Gov. Dunklin to break 
Pitcher •, and it was started as the only alternative to 
save time. On the flight of the Mormons from 
Jackson the humane citizens of Clay Co. granted 
them a home on condition that when respectably 
and respectfully notified that the community 
wished their removal they should comply without 
resistance. 

In the winter following, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman 
Wright and David Whitmer traveled to Kirtland 
to devise means with the leaders there for the 
redemption of Zion (Jackson Co.). A revelation 
was received which says in continuation after com- 



plaining of the " Jar rings and contentions and strifes 
and lustful and covetous desires among the Church i?i 
Zion." "And now I will show unto you a parable 
that you may know my will concerning- the redemp- 
tion of Zion : A certain nobleman had a spot of 
land very choice; and he said unto his servants: 
Go ye into my vineyard, even upon this very choice 
piece of land and plant twelve olive trees and set 
watchmen round about them and build a tower that 
one may overlook the land round about to be a 
watchman upon the tower; that mine olive trees 
may not be broken down when the enemy shall 
come to spoil and take unto themselves the fruit of 
my vineyard. Now the servants of the nobleman 
went and did as their lord commanded them." 

But it seems by the parable that the servants 
after a while began to murmur and were slothful 
and "hearkened not unto the commandment of the 
lord, and the enemy came by night and broke down 
the hedge and the servants of the nobleman arose 
and were aflrightened and fled, and the enemy de- 
stroyed their works and broke down the olive 
trees." After upbraiding his servants for their 
disobedience, "The lord of the vineyard said unto 
one of his servants, ' Go and gather together the residue 
of my servants who are the strength of mine house, which 
are my warriors, my young men and they that are 
of middle age also, among all my servants who are 
the strength of mine house save those only whom I 
have appointed to tarry, and go ye straightway into 
the land of my vineyard, for it is mine, I have 



82 



bought it with money, therefore get ye straightway 
unto my land; break down the walls of mine enemies ; 
throw down their towers, and scatter their watchmen, and 
inasmuch as they gather together against you, 
avenge me of my enemies that by and by I may 
come with the residue of mine house and possess 
the land.' " 

The lord of the vineyard also says: "And this 
shall be my blessing upon you, a faithful and wise 
steward in the midst of mine house, a ruler in my 
Kingdom. And his servant went straightway and 
done all things whatsoever his lord commanded 
him and after many days all things were fulfilled. ' ' 

In accordance with the interpretation of this para- 
ble Joseph Smith called for volunteers, collected about 
210 "warriors " and marched to Clay Co. under arms j 
but the cholera on the second day after their 
arrival dispersed them, and all hopes were de- 
stroyed of "redeeming Zion" for the present; but 
to console the Mormons under this disappointment 
Jos. Smith, before he returned from the campaign, 
prophesied publicly to them that "within three years 
they should march to Jackson Co. , and there should not 
be a dog to open his mouth against them. " 

In July, 1836, the citizens of Clay Co. becoming 
dissatisfied with the Mormons for causes too 
numerous to mention, though nothing of a criminal 
nature could be justly urged, appointed a commit- 
tee to inform the church that they wished their 
removal, and named Wisconsin Terr, as the most 
suitable place for them to locate themselves ; but 



83 

the Mormons did not wish to leave Mo. To 
remove from Clay Co. was in accordance with their 
feelings, having for some time contemplated a set- 
tlement in some new and uninhabited place that 
they could enjoy their constitutional privileges as 
other societies ; but they had feared opposition to 
their collecting in a body. 

The excitement in Clay and adjacent counties 
favored their design and through the intercession 
of Jno. Corrill, with the concurrence and active 
influence of lawyers — D. R. Atchinson, A. W. 
Doniphan, Amos Rees, and a few other gentlemen, 
leave was granted the Mormons by common con- 
sent of the surrounding counties, to settle in a 
body a tract of land north of Ray Co., 24 miles long 
and 18 miles wide, which was at the next session of 
the Legislature incorporated a county, and named 
"Caldwell." In the course of the fall of 1836 and 
succeeding winter nearly all the Mormons in the 
State had collected in Caldwell Co., and by per- 
severing industry soon opened extensive farms, and 
it seemed by magic that the wild prairies over a 
large tract were converted into cultivated fields. 
Persons visiting the county remarked "that no 
other people of the same number could build a 
town like Far West and accomplish as much in the 
agricultural line in five years as the Mormons had 
in one. " Confidence was established (to a certain 
degree) among all parties. Merchants did not 
hesitate to furnish individuals of the society with 
large stocks of goods on credit, so that in 1837 



84 

there were six Mormon stores in Far West and all 
doing very good business. The good conduct of 
the Mormons under the auspices of W. W. Phelps, 
Jno. Whitmer, Edward Partridge and Jno. Corrill, as 
leaders, had gained them an honorable character 
among their immediate neighbors, which with 
their industry and economy bade fair to make 
Caldwell one of the most respectable and thriving 
counties in upper Mo. Land was entered at $1.25 
an acre and nearly every family was in possession 
of a farm, and the summer of 1837 found them 
actively engaged in cultivating the same /when we 
will leave them and glance at some of the move- 
ments of the Mormons in Ohio. 



CHAPTER II. 

Joe's Ohio Crimes — Missouri Cut-Throats — 
Danites, Etc. 

Passing over many shameful transactions connected with 
the building of the "Lord's House" in Kirtland, and the 
"endowment of the elders," I shall briefly notice 
such as particularly affected the church, both in 
Ohio and Mo. While the society was making- 
arrangements to move from Clay County, Joseph 
Smith, H. Smith and O. Cowdery borrowed some thousands 
of dollars of the Church in Ohio, giving the lenders orders 
on their agents in Mo. for land in payment, a part 
of which money was sent to Caldwell Co. and 
invested in land which was immediately sold at a 
small advance to those holding the orders spoken 
of, but it was soon made apparent that the money 
sent to Missouri fell far short of the amount of orders 
presented, consequently ?nany persons arriving in Caldwell 
Co. destitute of means were unable to purchase the homes 
they anticipated finding, having, as they supposed, sent their 
money in advance to secure them one. These men like- 
wise engaged in heavy speculations in banking, 
merchandising and other branches of business. 
Having the entire confidence of the Mormons, they 
procured from them by loans, in Canada and the 
States, enormous sums of specie, established a bank 
without a charter, issued a large quantity of their 
paper in payment of debts and purchases of 



86 

property ; bought on credit heavy stocks of goods 
in Cleveland, Buffalo and New York, and being the 
?nost unskillful persons in the world in managing to pay 
debts, were finally compelled to flee to Missouri ', leaving 
the creditors minus about $30,000.00 (independent of 
what they owed to the brethren), and thousands of the 
"Kirtland Safety Society Bank Bills " not redeemed. 

A bitter quarrel originated in these transactions, 
the Smiths and S. Rigdon on one, part, and the 
Cowderies, Johnson and David Whitmer on the 
other ; and each party having their particular friends 
the church in Kirtland became partially divided 
and their animosities carried many of them to 
great extremes, produced confusion and cruel 
oppression when either party could wield the bal- 
ance of power. Very many creditable persons in the 
Society have asserted that while the " money fever" raged 
in Kirtland the leaders of the Church and others were more 
or less engaged in purchasing and circulating " bogus" 
money, or counterfeit coin, and a good evidence that 
the report is not without foundation is that each of 
these contending parties accused the other of this 
crime. In the latter part of March, 1838, the 
Smith families, S. Rigdon and many of their 
favorites, arrived in Far West one of the "Stakes 
of Zion" and found the church in prosperous cir- 
cumstances. D. Cowdery, D. Whitmer and 
Lyman Johnson had preceded them which placed in 
Caldwell Co. all the 7naterial for an explosion. The 
Presidency, viz., Jos. Smith, H. Smith and S. Rig- 
don, believing that Caldwell Co. was too limited for 



S7 

the reception of the multitude of converts that 
would be flocking to Mo., directed their attention 
to Daviess Co., lying immediately north of Caldwell, 
in which they, with others of the Soc., made 
numerous claims on Congress land, selected a site 
and laid out a city, the third "Stake of Zion" and 
named it Adam-ondi-Ahman, informing their fol- 
lowers that it was the place to which Adam fled 
when driven from the garden of Eden in Jackson 
Co., and that Far West was the spot where Cain 
killed Abel. Daviess Co. then contained say" 400 
families. Man}?- of the Mormons left Caldwell and 
went to Daviess Co. , and an arrangement was made 
for all emigrants from the East to settle in that 
place, which in a short time made the Mormons 
there equal in strength with the former citizens. 
About the first of June part of the platte of the 
small town of Dewitt in Carroll Co. was bargained 
for, and two families by direction of the presidency 
moved to it, intending to make it the fourth "Stake 
of Zion." 

Being settled in a new country with the privilege 
of other citizens the Mormons were elated with the 
expectation of soon becoming a rich community, 
and under the sole direction of the Prophet they 
believed that success would crown every effort 
they should make to build themselves up. Nearly 
every person was ready to act, in compliance with 
his will, believing that the favor of heaven depended on 
strict obedience to and implicit faith in the instructions of 
the Prophet. The people of the surrounding country 



were still friendly and harmony prevailed among 
the Mormons till the middle of June, when the 
enmity of the two parties from Kirtland mani- 
fested itself to an alarming degree. At this period 
measures were concerted, no doubt by instigation 
of the presidency, to free the community of the 
Cowderies, Whitmers, Lyman Johnson and some 
others, to effect which a secret meeting was called 
at Far West by Jared Carter and Dominic B. 
Huntington, two of Smith's greatest courtiers, 
where a proposition was made, and supported by some, as 
being the best policy to kill these men^ that they wo aid 
not be able to injure the church. All their 
measures were strenuously opposed by Jno. Cor- 
rill and T. B. Marsh, one of the twelve apostles of 
the church, and in consequence nothing could be 
effected until the matter was taken up publicly by 
the Presidency the Sunday following (June 17) in 
the presence of a large congregation. 

S. Rigdon took his text from the 5th Chapter of 
Matthew: "Ye are the salt of the earth," etc., 
"trodden under foot of men." From this scripture 
he undertook to prove that when men embrace the 
gospel and afterward lost their faith, it is the duty 
of the saints to trample them under their feet. He 
informed the people that they had a set of men 
among them that had dissented from the church 
and were doing all in their power to destroy the 
Presidency, laying plans to take their lives, etc. ; 
accused them of counterfeiting, lying, cheating, and 
numerous other crimes, and called on the people to rise en 



masse and rid the country of such a nuisance. He said, 
"it is the duty of this people to trample them into the earth, 
and if the county cannot be freed from them any other way, 
I will assist to trample them down, or to erect a gal- 
lows on the Square of Far West and hang them 
up as they did the gamblers at vlcksburgh, and 
it would be an act at which the angels would 
smile with approbation." 

Jos. Smith, in a short speech, sanctioned what 
had been said by Rigdon, "though" said he, "/don't 
want the brethren to act unlaivfully ; but / will tell them 
one thing, Judas was a traitor, and instead of hanging 
himself was hung by Peter." And with this hint the 
subject was dropped for the day, having created a 
great excitement, and prepared the people to execute any- 
thing that should be proposed. 

On the next Tuesday these dissenters as they were 
termed, were informed that preparations were being 
made to hang them up, and if they did not escape 
their lives would be taken before night ; and perceiv- 
ing the rage of their enemies they fled to Ray Co., 
leaving their families and property in the hands of 
the Mormons. The wrath of the Presidency and 
the threats of hanging, etc., were undoubtedly a 
farce acted to frighten these men from the county 
that the)?- could not be spies upon their conduct ; or that 
they might deprive them of their property, and, indeed, 
the proceedings of the Presidency and others 
engaged in this affair fully justify the latter conclu- 
sion ; for knowing the probable result Geo. W. Rob- 
inson, son-in-law of S. Rigdon, had prior to their flight 



9° 

sworn out writs of attachment agai?ist these men, by which 
he took possession of all their personal property, clothing 
and furniture ) much of which was valuable and no doubt 
very desirable, leaving their families to follow to Ray Co. 
almost destitute. That the claims by which this 
property was taken from these men were unjust 
and perhaps without foundation cannot be doubted 
by any unprejudiced persons acquainted with all 
parties and circumstances; and no testimony has 
ever been adduced to show that the men were 
ever guilty of a crime in Caldwell Co. These un- 
lawful and tyrannical measures met with the cen- 
sure of Jno. Corrill, W. W. Phelps, Jno. Clemenson y 
myself and a few others; but we were soon made 
sensible that we had excited suspicion and perhaps 
endangered ourselves by venturing to speak un- 
favorably of these transactions. 

We found that the events of a few days had placed Cald- 
well Co, under a despotic government where even liberty of 
speech was denied to those not willing to unite in support of 
the New Order. Confidential subjects were ap- 
pointed to converse with all suspected members 
and by pretending to be displeased with the anti- 
Republican measures enforced against the dissent- 
ers, were able to learn the feelings of many and by 
reporting to the Presidency draw down thundering 
anathemas upon those so unwary as to speak their 
sentiments where long tried friendship was swal- 
lowed up in bigotry and fanaticism. A friend of 
long standing asked me if I did not think the dis- 
senters were dealt harshly by and that the Presi- 



dency was wrong in exciting the people against 
them, saying at the same time that he "blamed 
Joseph," etc. I answered that the dissenters 
deserved punishment if if they were guilty as repre- 
sented. Thinking from my answer that I had become 
satisfied with what had been done, he acknowledged 
that he was only endeavoring to learn the true state of my 
feelings j and then to give me an idea of his attachment 
to the cause, said that if jos. smith should tell him 

TO CUT MY THROAT, HE WOULD DO IT WITHOUT HESITA- 
TION. I heard expressions of this nature from several, 
and shuddered at the thought of living in a commu- 
nity where the nod of one man, if displeased, would 
deprive an individual of every privilege, and even 
life, if the consequences had not been feared more 
by him than his followers. 

On the Sunday succeeding the flight of the dissen- 
ters, S. Rigdon, in a public discourse explained, satis- 
factorily no doubt, to the people, the principles of Re- 
publicanism. " Some certain characters in the place 
had been crying, you have broken the law, you have 
acted contrary to the principles of republicanism." 
He said that " when a country, or body of people have 
individuals among the?n with whom they do not wish to 
associate, and a public expression is taken against their 
re?naining among them, and such individuals do not remove, 
it is the principle of Republic ■anism itself that gives that 
com?nu?iity a right to expel them forcibly, arid no law will 
prevent it" He also said it was not against the prin- 
ciples of Republicanism to hang the gamblers at Vicks- 
burgh, as it was a matter in which they unanimously acted, 



9 2 

Soon after the delivery of this speech, he informed 
the church in an address, that they soon would be called 
upon to consecrate their property, and those who would 
not comply with the law of consecration, should be 
delivered over to the brother of Gideon, whom he repre- 
sented as being a terrible fellow. 

''We are," said he, "soon to commence building 
the Lord's house in Far West, which will enhance 
the value of property ten fold in its vicinity, and such 
proprietors as will not consecrate the whole amount 
of that increase of value for the building of the house 
and other church uses, shall be delivered over to the 
brother of Gideon and be sent bounding over the prairies 
as the dissenters were a few days ago" 

In short, we found that all matters comprising any- 
thing not completely subject to - the will of the Presidency, 
were to be managed by the terrible brother of Gideon. All 
the requirements of the Presidency must be complied 
with, peaceably if you will, forcibly if we must, 
always making the brother of Gideon the terror of 
all that would not heartily join in the support of their 
government and views. A few individuals of us were 
ever after this opposed to the rule of the Presidency, 
perceiving that all spiritual and temporal affairs were under 
their control, and no monarch on earth ever had supreme 
power over his subjects more than they over the inhabitants 
of Caldwell Co., only they did not exercise it to so 
great a degree. Their word was law in civil, reli- 
gious and military matters; but the secret springs 

OF THEIR POWER AND INFLUENCE WE DID NOT YET UN- 
DERSTAND. 



93 

In the latter part of June, a young man from Ohio, 
having reported something about Jos. Smith and S. 
Rigdon, was taken by constable D. B. Huntington, 
Geo. W. Robinson and a few others, compelled to 

SIGN A LIBEL, TO KNEEL BEFORE S. RlGDON AND ASK 
PARDON AS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE TO ESCAPE A CANING 
FROM THE CONSTABLE, WHO HELD HIS STAFF OVER HIM 
IN AN ATTITUDE FOR STRIKING, UNTIL HE BENT THE 
KNEE. 

For these offences, application was made for writs 
against Jos. Smith, S. Rigdon, D. B. Huntington, 
Sampson Avard and others ; but they would not permit 
the clerk of the court to issue them, declaring that they 
would never suffer vexatious law suits to be instituted 
against them in Caldwell Co. 

Sometime previous to this, secret meetings had 
been held in Far West that excited much curiosity 
among those that had not been permitted to attend, 
as it was easily discovered that something more than 
ordinary was in progress among the male members 
of the church. 

Ignorant of the nature of "these meetings, I attended 
one about the last of June, and received a full dis- 
closure of its object: Jared Carter, Geo. W. Rob- 
inson, and Sampson Avard, under the instructions 
of the presidency, had formed a secret military 

SOCIETY CALLED THE " DAUGHTER OF ZlON," and Were 

holding meetings to initiate members. The princi- 
ples taught by Sampson Avard as spokesman were 
that, "As the Lord had raised up a prophet in these 
last days like unto Moses, it shall be the duty of this 



94 

band to obey him in all things, and whatever he re- 
quires you shall perform, being ready to give up 
life and property for the advancement of the 
cause. When anything is to be performed, no 
member shall have the privilege of judging 
whether it would be right or wrong, but shall 
engage in the accomplishment and trust god for 

THE RESULT. It IS NOT OUR BUSINESS OR PLACE TO 

know what is required by god, but he will inform 
us by means of the prophet, and we must perform. 
If any one of you see a member of the band in 
difficulty in the surrounding country, contend- 
ing for instance with an enemy, you shall extri- 
cate him, even if in the wrong, if you have to do 
with his adversary as moses did with the egyp- 
tian, put him under the sand, and both pack off 
to Far West and we will take care of the matter 
ourselves. No person shall be suffered to speak 
evil or disrespectfully of the Presidency. The secret 
signs and purposes of the Society are not to be re- 
vealed on pain of death," etc., etc. 

About fifty persons were initiated into the 
Society at the time I was introduced, and to save time 
the oath was administered to all the novices at once, 
of which I took advantage by remaining silent and 
accordingly avoided taking it. 

I was appointed adjutant of the band in conse- 
quence, I suppose, of my holding that office in the 
59th Mo. militia. I did not think it policy to reject 
the appointment, though I declared to my trusty 
friends that I would never act in the office. All the 



95 

principles of the Society tended to give the Presi- 
dency unlimited power over the property and persons, 
and I might say with propriety, lives of the mem- 
bers OF THE CHURCH, AS PHYSICAL FORCE WAS TO BE 
RESORTED TO IF NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE 

designs. The blood of my best friend must flow by 
my own hands if I would be a faithful Danite,* 
should the Prophet command it. Said A. McRae, 
in my hearing, "If Joseph should tell me to kill 
VanBuren in his presidential chair, i would imme- 
diately START AND DO MY BEST TO ASSASSINATE HIM, 
LET THE CONSEQUENCES BE AS THEY WOULD." 



*The members of the "Daughter of Zion" called them 
selves Uanites. 



CHAPTER III. 

Mormons defy United States — Joe threatens to 
cut throats and walk necks. 

Having been taught to believe themselves invin- 
cible in the defence of their cause, though the 
combined power of the world were in array against 
them, and that the purposes of God were to be ac- 
complished, through their instrumentality, the 
wicked destroyed, by force of arms, the "Nations 
subdued," and the kingdom of Christ established on 
the earth, they considered themselves accountable 
only at the bar of God for their conduct, and conse- 
quently acknowledged no law superior to the * * Word 
of the Lord through the Prophet, ' ' 

"Do you suppose," said a zealous Danite at the 
time when the Sheriff of Daviess Co. held a State's 
warrant against Jos. Smith, "that the Prophet will 
condescend to be tried before a judge ?" 

I answered that Smith would in all probability sub- 
mit, knowing that in case resistance was made the 
officers would call in the strength of other counties 
to enforce the law, "What," said he, "do we care 
for other counties, or for the state, or whole 
United States ?" 

The independence of the church was to be sup- 
ported, its laws and the behests of the Presidency 
enforced by means of this legal band of Danites, 
under command of Jared Carter, the terrible brother 



97 

of Gideon,* bearing the additional title of Captain 
General of the Lord's Hosts." 

His subalterns were Maj. Genl. Sampson Avard, 
Brig. Genl. C. P. Lott, Col. Geo. W. Robinson; also 
a Lieut. Col., Major, Sec. of War, an Adjt., Captains 
of 50 and Captains of tens, and all these officers with 
the privates were to be under the administration of 
the Presidency of the Church, and wholly subject to 
their control. At a meeting for the organization of 
the Danites, Sampson Avard presented the Society 
to the Presidency, who blessed them and accepted 
their services as though they were soon to be employed 
in executing some great design. They also made 
speeches to the Society in which great military glory 
and conquest were represented as awaiting them; 
victories in which one should chase a thousand and 
two put ten thousand to flight, were portrayed in the 
most lively manner, the assistance of angels promised, 
and, in fine, everything was said to inspire them with 
zeal and courage, and to make them believe God was 
soon to "bring to pass his act, his strange act;" 
or by them as instruments to perform a marvellous 
work on the earth. 

In the fore part of July the " brother of Gideon," 
or Jared Carter, Capt. Genl. of the Danites, having 
complained to Jos. Smith of some observations made 
by Sidney Rigdon in a sermon, was tried for finding 
fault with one of the Presidency, and deprived of his 
station, and Elias Higbee was appointed in his stead. 

Carter's punishment, according to the principles of 

* Jared Carter had a brother named Gideon Carter. 



9 8 

the Danites, should have been death. In the evening- 
after the trial, I was in company with Maj. Genl. 
Sampson Avard, D. B. Huntington, Capt. of the 
Guard, Elias Higbee the new Capt. Genl., and David 
W. Patton, one of the twelve apostles and member of 
the high counsel of the Church, all of whom had sat 
with the Presidency on the trial. D. B. Hunting- 
ton STATED THAT JOSEPH DECLARED DURING THE EX- 
AMINATION THAT HE SHOULD HAVE CUT CARTER'S 
THROAT ON THE SPOT IF HE HAD BEEN ALONE (being* 

alone was Joe's plate method) when he made the com- 
plaint. Huntington also said that on his trial Carter 
came within a finger's point of losing his head. 

Sampson Avard related at the same time the 
arrangement that had been made by the Presidency 
and officers present at the trial, respecting the dis- 
senters — said he, "All the head officers are to be 
punished by the Presidenc}^, both in Ohio and Mo., 
and if, for example, I meet with one of them who 
is damning and cursing the presidency, i can curse 
them too, and if he will drink i can get him a 
bowl of brandy, and after a while take him by 
the arm and get him one side in the brush, when 
i will into his guts in a minute and put him under 
the sod. When an officer has disposed of a dis- 
senter IN THIS WAY HE SHALL INFORM THE PRESIDENCY, 
AND THEM ONLY, WITH WHOM IT SHALL REMAIN AN 
INVIOLABLE SECRET. 

In July, the law of consecration took effect, which 
required every person to give up to the Bishop all 
surplus property of every description not necessary 



99 

for their present support. Sampson Avard, the most 
busy actor and sharpest tool of the Presidency, 
informed John Corrill and myself that " all persons 
who attempted to deceive, and retain property 
that should be given up, would meet with the 
fate of Ananias and Saphira, who were killed by 
Peter." 

Many of the Church consecrated land in Jack- 
son, Clay and Caldwell counties, others brought 
forward furniture, horses, etc., etc., but it all 
added little to the Church fund, and I conclude fell 
far short of satisfying- the Presidency, for the busi- 
ness of consecration was immediately followed by 
the formation if four large firms, and it was 
required by the "Word of the Lord" that every 
member of the Church should become a partner in 
some one of them. All the land and personal 
property of each individual were to become 
property of some one of these firms, and subject to 
an individual head. The head of each firm was to 
transact all business and no individual could make 
a bargain for himself, or control any part of his 
property after becoming a member of the firm. 
All branches of business were to be carried on by 
these companies, mercantile, mechanical and agri- 
cultural, and all laborers were bound to work 
according to the special direction of their Superin- 
tendent. Very many were violently opposed to this 
new church order, but after much argument, 
preaching, teaching and explaining by S. Avard, 
the excitement was allayed and all but a few con- 



sented to give up their property, and, we may say, 
subject themselves to a driver. Jno. Corrill 
observed to a person in Far West, that he did not, 
4t think it his duty to unite with the firm and that 
he had no confidence in the revelations that re- 
quired it. Jos. Smith and S. Rigdon learning that 
he had made this observation, chid him severely in 
the presence of several. Smith said to him, "If 

YOU TELL ABOUT THE STREETS AGAIN THAT YOU DO 
NOT BELIEVE THIS OR THAT REVELATION, I WILL WALK 
ON YOUR NECK, SIR" ; AT THE SAME TIME SMITING HIS 
FISTS TO EVINCE HIS GREAT RAGE. 

He talked of dissenters and cited us to the case 
of Judas, saying that Peter told him in a conversa- 
tion a few days ago that he himself hung Judas for 
betraying Christ. He also said, "If you do not act. 
differently and show yourself approved, you shall 
never be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven. I 

WILL STAND AT THE ENTRANCE AND OPPOSE YOU 
MYSELF, AND WILL KEEP YOU OUT IF I HAVE TO TAKE A 
FISTY CUFF IN DOING IT." 

Corrill replied: "I may possibly get there first." 
It seems that Joseph wished the church to believe 
that not only all things pertaining to the society should 
be subject to his dictation, but in eternity salvation 
should depend on his ascendant power with God; as 
though his prejudice against individuals could be 
carried into the Court of Heaven as a plea against 
them at the last day. Under this rule the Church 
generally was passive if not pleased, believing it to 
be the order of God. And surrounded as the Presi- 



IOI 

dency were with a soldiery bound by oath to obey 
them under all circumstances, it was dangerous for 
a few of us who would gladly have freed ourselves 
from a yoke, to speak even our sentiments, if opposed 
to the views of the Presidency. 

We see them at the head of all the forces of 
Caldwell Co., and sole dictators in all religious 
matters, and a single example will show that civil, 
or political affairs, were no less under their control. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Joes Political Tricks, Fights, Danites — Militia 
Called. 

On Saturday, 9th of August, two days previous 
to the general election a meeting was called in the 
afternoon and Sampson Avard informed those 
present of a neglect of duty they had been guilty 
of in not inquiring of the Lord what persons should 
be supported as candidates at the coming election. 
"You may," said he, "elect the identical persons 
God would choose, but even if you do they will 
prove a curse to the county because you did not 
inquire as you ought." A committee was forth- 
with appointed to wait on the Presidency and the 
result was an order for printed tickets to be sent 
about the county to each precinct that all may know 
for whom to vote. Saturday the tickets were 
struck off, and on the next day Sampson Avard 
distributed them among a large collection of Dan- 
ites from all parts of the county, with the accom- 
panying word that they were according to the will 
of God which was sufficient to make nearly every 
person vote that ticket and no other. It is a mat- 
ter BEYOND DOUBT THAT SOME CANDIDATES WOULD 
HAVE GOT THE VOTES OF THREE-FOURTHS OF THE 
PEOPLE THAT BY THIS MEASURE LOST THEIR ELECTION, 

and when the polls closed had not more than 15 or 
20 votes in their favor. The Presidency would not 



io3 

have interfered in this matter had there not been 
candidates in the lists who had the confidence of 
the people, but were not sufficiently ductile to suit 
their purposes ; consequently they determined that 
their election should be defeated. They spoke and 
it was done. But the prettiest part of this affair 
remains yet to be told. I was in the printing office 

ON SATURDAY TWO HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING WAS 
CALLED, AND NEARLY A HALF DAY BEFORE THE COM- 
MITTEE WENT TO INQUIRE WHO SHOULD BE CANDIDATES, 
AND SAW THE SELF-SAME TICKET IN THE HANDS OF THE 
COMPOSITOR THAT WAS AFTERWARD REPORTED; IT WAS 
PROBABLY IN TYPE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE HAD THEIR 
INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENCY. 

The ticket was previously made out by Jos. 
Smith, S. Rigdon and G. W. Robinson and sent to 
the office to be printed early on Saturday and the 
transactions in the afternoon were, no doubt, to take 
off a little of the glare by making it appear that I 
the people consulted them respecting the ticket to 
be voted and f not have it understood that they 
interfered voluntarily. In Daviess Co. the Mor- 
mons also unanimously took one side of the ques- 
tion, which occasioned a disturbance between them 
and the opposite party at the election which ended 
in a skirmish in which clubs, stones and dirks were 
used; but no person was mortally wounded. In 
this, the first fight, the Mormons claimed the vic- 
tory, but retired from the polls to avoid a further 
contest. An exaggerated account of a bloody mas- 
sacre of some of the Mormons was rapidly circu- 



104 

lated through Caldwell Co. early next morning; 
the Warriors marshalled, and by 12 o'clock 150 
Danites with Jos. Smith and S. Rigdon at their 
head were marching for Daviess Co., breathing 
vengeance against " the mob " for the attack made 
the previous day on their brethren. At their 
approach the inhabitants, not being sufficiently 
strong to oppose the Mormons of Caldwell and 
Daviess counties, then in array against them, fled 
from their houses to make the woods their covert 
until the storm should pass or assistance be procured 
to expel what they termed a band of invaders. 
The forces from Caldwell Co. remained in Daviess 
two days and in the time compelled one individual 
to sign an article binding him to keep the peace 
with the Mormons and attempted to frighten a Jus- 
tice of the Peace to sign the same, but he drew one 
himself and signed it which was satisfactory. 

Warrants were issued against Jos. Smith, L. 
Wright and many others^ engaged in this affair 
and cause found sufficient to put them under bonds 
for their appearance at court. 

Representatives of these hostile movements of the 
Mormons were sent by express to the neighboring 
counties, which created considerable excitement, 
and but a short time elapsed before it was rumored 
that the inhabitants of Daviess Co. were determined 
that the Mormons should be expelled from that 
county, as it would be impossible to live in peace 
with them. The citizens of Daviess were rein- 
forced in the fore part of September by small 



i°5 

parties from some of the adjoining counties, and 
their threat alarming the Mormons, the war cry was 
again heard in Caldwell and volunteers speedily 
marched to resist "the mob" in case they com- 
menced hostilities. 

At the same time petitions were sent by the 
Presidency to the honorable Judge of the Circuit 
Court, a citizen of Ray Co., praying his interposi- 
tion in behalf of the Mormons, who were threatened 
with expulsion from Daviess Co., upon which 
Maj-Gen'l D. R. Atchinson was instructed, or 
ordered, to raise an armed force, proceed to that 
place and restore order and preserve the peace be- 
tween the two parties. Gen'l Atchinson raised 
500 mounted volunteers in Clay and Ray counties 
and with this force arrived in Daviess Co. on or 
about the 13th of September, in time to prevent any 
acts of hostility by either of the belligerent 
parties. A part of the company under the com- 
mand of Maj. -Gen'l Doniphan paraded through 
Far West on their way to Daviess Co. , with orders 
to cause all parties found under arms to disband 
immediately. All the inhabitants of Caldwell were 
there under arms, a part in Far West and the 
remainder in Daviess Co. ; but obedient to the 
order they dispersed and repaired to their homes, 
many of them hoping it would be the last time they 
should be called from their respective avocations 
to support their cause by force of arms. But how 

VAIN THEIR HOPES WHEN EVERY SUCCEEDING STEP 
TAKEN BY THE LEADERS AT THE HEAD OF THEIR BAND 



io6 



was of a nature to fire the spark of opposition 
in Daviess Co., till it was kindled to a flame 
which eventually spread far and wide and 
involved the society in one general ruin. 

While the Mormons were embodied in Daviess 
Co. from the ioth to the 13th of September they 
subsisted principally on cattle, hogs, etc., taken 
from "the Range" and from plantations belonging 
to the citizens of the county, which could not fail 
to inflame the people as far as they became 
acquainted with the fact. Individuals of the band 

INFORMED ME OF THIS, FURTHER STATING THAT ON 
RETURNING SOME OF THEM CARTED INTO CALDWELL 
CO., FOR THEIR BENEFIT AT HOME, PORK, HONEY AND 
WHEAT SURREPTITIOUSLY TAKEN ON THE CAMPAIGN. 

They were furnished with a hint of this cheap mode 
of living by Jos. Smith in a letter written from Far 
West, though it is quite likely that some genius 
among their leaders had invented and adopted the 
plan before the receipt of the letter. The citizens 
of Daviess are accused by the Mormons of taking 
property from them in the same manner, from 
which it would seem that each party was support- 
ing itself by reprisals. The Mormons had no more 
than taken breath after their return from Daviess 
Co., before an express arrived from DeWitt calling 
for volunteers to sticcor the few Mormons that had 
collected in that place. You will recollect that two 
families from Far West settled in DeWitt about the 
1st of June. The citizens of Carroll Co. soon 
after met and the expression of public feeling was 



107 

that no Mormons should be admitted into the 
county as citizens. Resolutions were passed and 
published setting forth the impossibility of living 
in amity with a community of Mormons, and a com- 
mittee appointed to inform the two Mormon 
families in DeWitt of these transactions and 
request their departure from the county. This 
notice being disregarded, in a subsequent meeting 
it was resolved by the citizens to employ force to 
effect what mild measures had not accomplished; 
but they attempted nothing till a company of Mor- 
mons from Canada took up their abode in DeWitt 
when, acting on the principles of Republicanism, as 
defined by S. Rigdon, they determined to eject them 
from the county, and the Mormons were soon made 
sensible that decisive steps must be taken in order 
to sustain themselves in opposition to the forces 
daily collecting, and the increasing prejudice of 
the community at large. The express from DeWitt 
informed that the mob had burned one Mormon 
house, had shot at several individuals, and were 
increasing their numbers constantly from other 
counties.. The Mormons had possession of the 
town and had ranged their wagons for breast- 
works. The Presidency, with a large company of 
volunteers, hastened to DeWitt, and were permit- 
ted to enter the town without opposition, though 
they passed in view of the mob, and so, with all that 
followed from Caldwell Co., they had free ingress 
to, but not even an express could return from the 
town to Far West. The mob knew that people of 



io8 

other counties would render them all necessary 
assistance to accomplish their object, therefore 
they did not fear the strength of Caldwell Co., and 
drawing the Mormons from home under arms was 
perhaps a part of their object in letting all pass, 
thinking it would be considered a breach of the 
laws. A company of militia that was stationed in 
Daviess Co. to keep the peace and one other com- 
pany were called to DeWitt, but being overawed by 
the mob, could do nothing to effect a reconciliation. 
An express was dispatched to the Governor and 
they reported that His Excellency sent word that 
as they had got themselves into a scrape they 
might fight their own battles. The Mormons, 
after being hemmed in DeWitt a few days, made a 
treaty and agreed to leave the county forthwith 
and were to be remunerated for the damage they 
sustained in consequence. It had been the boast 
of the Danites that if an attack was made upon the 
Mormons in DeWitt they would come down upon 
the mob from Caldwell Co. like a thunderbolt, and 
being compelled to evacuate the place after all 
their bravados, they returned in no enviable 
humor, bringing intelligence that a company of the 
DeWitt mob with a cannon were on a line of march 
for Daviess Co. threatening to rout the Mormons 
from that place also. 



CHAPTER V. 

War — Joe Harangues his Troops — Battle. 

On Sunday, October 14th, the day after the Mor- 
mons returned from DeWitt, a company of militia 
passed through Far West to take their stand in 
Daviess Co. to oppose the mobites that were march- 
ing from DeWitt. On Monday, 15th, nearly all the 
male inhabitants of Caldwell Co. were congregated 
in Far West by order of the Presidency, armed for 
war and burning to execute vengeance on their 
enemies. Jos. Smith addressed them, and after 
recapitulating the vexations to which the Church 
had been subjected and the persecutions they had 
endured in Missouri, informed them of the answer 
of the Governor to their petition, and in continua- 
tion said: "The law we have tried long enough! 
Who is so big a fool as to cry, the law ! the law ! 
when it is always administered against us and 

NEVER IN OUR FAVOR. I DO NOT INTEND TO REGARD 
THE LAW HEREAFTER, AS WE ARE MADE A SET OF OUT- 
LAWS BY HAVING NO PROTECTION FROM IT. We WILL 
TAKE OUR AFFAIRS INTO OUR OWN HANDS AND MANAGE 

for ourselves. We have applied to the Governor 
and he will do nothing for 11s ; the militia of the 
county we have tried and they will do nothing. 
All are mob; <the Governor's mob, the militia mob, 
and the whole State is mob. We have yielded to 
the mob in DeWitt, and now they are preparing to 



no 



strike a blow in Daviess Co. ; but I am determined, 
that we will not give another foot, and I care not 
how many come against us, 10 or 10,000; God will 
send us angels to our deliverance and we can con- 
quer 10,000 as easily as ten!" The manner of 
supplying the army in the expedition to be under- 
taken was not so artfully handled in the address as 
to supersede the necessity of observing, to clear 
himself from unjust imputations: "Some may go 

FROM HERE AND REPORT THAT I TAUGHT YOU TO 
STEAL; BUT I DISTINCTLY TELL YOU ALL NOT TO STEAL 
WHEN YOU CAN GET PLENTY WITHOUT"; and closed 

by relating on anecdote of a Dutchman and his 
potatoes which I will repeat. "A Colonel quartered 
near an old Dutchman's, the owner of a patch of 
fine potatoes, proffered to purchase some for his 
men, but was refused. At night, when relating 
the circumstance to the regiment the Colonel said, 
'Now, don't let a man of you be caught stealing 
that old Dutchman's potatoes.' In the morning 
there was not a potato in the old man's field." He 
was followed in his address by S. Rigdon, who 
spoke in a strain of violence not describable 
against a certain few in the county that, said he, 
"had remained at home crying, 'Oh, don't 1 oh, 
don't! You are breaking the law; you are bring- 
ing ruin on the society,' etc., while others are out 
on expeditions to other counties doing all they can 
to support the cause. While we are away, that 
class is at home finding fault with our movements 
and thereby creating divisions and disturbances as 



Ill 



among the brethren, when a perfect union is 
requisite in order to stand against the enemy." 
That all might become one he proposed to the 
meeting that blood should first run in the 
streets of far west ; that those traitors among 
them who had always opposed their doings should 
be slain and then the remainder could act in 
union. No answer being made to this, he next 
proposed that those persons should be forced ta 
take their arms and march with the band on the 
morrow to Daviess Co., and if they refused, they 

SHOULD BE PITCHED ON THEIR HORSES WITH BAYONETS 
AND PLACED IN FRONT OF THE BATTLE." The latter 

proposition was answered with a hearty amen from 
the congregation. "Should those traitors attempt 
to leave the county their lives should be the for- 
feit AND THEIR PROPERTY CONFISCATED FOR THE USE 
OF THE ARMY." 

Monday evening a company of horse and two- 
companies of footmen were organized consisting of 
about 300 men, and before morning the company 
of horse reached Adam-ondi-Ahman. Tuesday 
morning the two companies of footmen were early 
wending their way across the prairies, and arrived 
in 'Diahman at sunset. John Corrill, W. W. Phelps, 
Jno. Clemenson, Reed Peck (author of diary), and 
several other anti-Danites, had the honor of being 
enrolled in one of these companies and under the 
bayonet resolutions marched to Daviess Co., where 
we saw the character of principles of the Danites 
fully exemplified. 



On Wednesday, 17th of October, in consequence 
of a heavy snow fall, an unusual occurrence at 
that season of the year, most of the Mormons 
remained inactive in camp ; only a sufficient num- 
ber were out to procure the necessary supply of 
hogs, cattle, honey, etc. , for the use of the army, 
which they took, as on former occasions, from the 
Range and plantations of the citizens (Missourians). 
In camp, pork, beef and honey, were denominated 
Buffalo, Bear and Sweet Oil. On Thursday (18th), 
pursuant to an arrangement made the evening 
before by Jos. and H. Smith and Lyman Wight, 
D. W. Patton, at the head of forty men made a 
descent on Gallatin, the County Seat of Daviess Co., 
burned the only store in the place and brought the 
goods to Dickman and consecrated them to the 
Bishop, Joseph having taught that the ancient 

ORDER OF THINGS HAD RETURNED, AND THE TIME HAD 
ARRIVED FOR THE RICHES OF THE GENTILES TO BE CON- 
SECRATED TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL (MORMONS). 

There were about twenty men in Gallatin who fled 
at the approach of Capt. Patton and his company 
and those were all that the Mormons saw during 
the campaign except an occasional straggler more 
venturesome than his fellows. The citizens had 
universally fled, leaving their all at the mercy of a 
merciless foe. On the same day a company of fifty 
men, called the Far West company, commanded by 
Capt. Dunham (in camp, Capt. Black Haw) made 
their triumphal entry into Dickman laden with 
feather beds, quilts, clothes, clocks and all varie- 



U3 

ties of light furniture taken from the deserted 
dwellings, making the most uncouth appearance / 
ever beheld^ and were greeted as they passed with 
three deafening hurrahs from the whole camp. On 
the same day Seymour Brunson, Alexander McRae, 
and about twenty others rode fifteen or twenty 
miles to one of the branches of Grand River and 
called on an old gentleman whom they found at 
home with his family, and after the customary 
salutation McRae observed that it was "a damned 
cold day, ' ' and introduced the company as a party 
of mobites come from Carroll Co. to drive out the 
Mormons. The unsuspecting old man invited 
them to come in and warm, and ordered dinner, as 
he could not furnish them with whiskey, which 
they pretended to be most anxious for. After 
receiving their dinner and a treat of excellent 
honey, they departed, slyly taking the old gentle- 
man's great coat and silk handkerchief, some 
woolen sheets, woolen yarn, a powder horn, gun 
lock, some knives and forks, and many other 
articles, as a means, I suppose, of informiug their 
host whom he had entertained. The next night A. 
McRae and a small party went to Gallatin and 
stripped the best furnished house of all its valuable 
furniture which they drew to Dickman, and burned 
the dwelling to the ground. 

All the property taken from the store in Gallatin 
and from the private habitations was deposited 
with the Bishop of 'Diahman and afterward dis- 
tributed among the society. The Far West com- 



H4 



PANY AND OTHER PARTIES WERE CONSTANTLY BRING- 
ING IN PLUNDER AND REDUCING THE DWELLINGS TO 

ashes; and for ten days the Mormons were 
employed in this way without opposition, pillaging 
houses and harvesting the corn, and collecting the 
horses and cattle and hogs of the frightened citi- 
zens, making 'Diahman their place of rendezvous 
and depository of their ill-gotten riches, foolishly 
flattering themselves that no notice would be taken 
of these transactions, while a few sane heads 
among them were wondering that men from other 
counties were not nocking in by hundreds to stop 
their mad career in the beginning. The militia 
that passed through Far West for the protection of 
the peace, had returned home, having been 
informed by the Mormons that their presence was 
not necessary. The citizens of Daviess, men, 
women and children, fled through the snow in 
wagons, on horseback and on foot after the plun- 
dering and burning commenced, as precipitately as 
though they had been invaded by a hostile band of 
Indians: but with this flood of testimony their 
calamitous report was not generally credited until 
men especially appointed for the purpose had visi- 
ted Daviess Co. and returned with a confirmation 
of their story. The pacific disposition manifested 
by the Mormons on former occasions, their ready 
acceptance of dishonorable terms of peace in Jack- 
son Co., their willing compliance with the requisi- 
tion of the people in removing from Clay Co., their 
recent troubles in DeWitt, where on the demand 



"5 

of a hostile mob they again sacrificed their consti- 
tutional rights to obtain a peace, all combined to 

IMPRESS THE COMMUNITY WITH THE BELIEF THAT THE 

Mormons would never act only on the principle of 
self-defence. The citizens of Daviess had com- 
plained of the Mormons before, but unluckily for 
themselves could not establish anything against 
them more than was known to the public ; so when 
they fled in distress their cry was heard at first 
with as much indifference as the boy's who cried, 
"the wolf, the wolf!" 

By express the Governor was informed of the 
depredations of the Mormons and flight of the 
inhabitants of Daviess Co. , and it seems he issued 
an order to Maj.-Gen'l Clark to raise 400 mounted 
men and reinstate the citizens of Daviess in their 
homes. 

Previous to the 25th of October a great part of 
the Mormons residing in Caldwell Co. had re- 
turned home with their dividend of plunder. The 
Mormons continued their system of spoliation till 
their returning senses hinted to them the probable 
consequences, when they commenced the erection 
of small fort, or block house, in 'Diahman in 
preparation for a siege. They had captured the 
cannon brought from DeWitt which they found 
buried in Livingston Co. The people of Richmond 
in Ray Co. , hearing that the Mormons were pre- 
paring to attack Richmond, removed their women 
and children across the river and kept vigilant 
guard on the roads to Caldwell Co. A company of 



n6 

fifty or sixty men was raised and received orders 
from Maj.-Gen'l Atchinson to range the north line 
of the county to prevent a surprise if an attack was 
meditated by the Mormons. 

On the night of the 24th of October the company 
under command of Capt. Bogart was encamped on 
Crooked River twelve miles south of Far West and 
two miles south of the line of Caldwell Co. In- 
formation was received in Far West about midnight 
that this company had taken some prisoners and 
burned some Mormon houses. 

David Patton was immediately placed at the head 
of 75 or 100 volunteers and proceeded within two 
miles of the militia, or "mob," as the Mormons 
called them, when they left their horses with a 
small guard and marched silently on foot till hailed 
by the sentinel with, "Who comes there?" 

Capt. Patton answered, "Friends!" 

Sentinel: "Are you armed?" 

Patton: "We are!" 

Sentinel: "Then lay down your arms!" 

Patton, to his men: "Fire!" 

Some of the foremost men attempted to shoot, 
but the pieces "snapped. " The sentinel shot one 
of the friends through the hip and ran into camp 
closely followed by the Mormons. Day had just 
began to dawn when they rushed upon their 
enemies, echoing their war cry, "God and Lib- 
erty!" A few minutes decided the contest in favor 
of the Mormons. The militia soon fled, leaving 
their horses and baggage in camp. One of their 



ii7 

number was killed on the ground, several wounded 
and one taken prisoner by the Mormons. Gideon 
Carter, brother of Jared Carter, was killed in the 
battle, and David W. Patton and one other of 
eight that were wounded of the Mormons, died the 
following day. 

Early in the morning intelligence of the battle 
was received in Far West, and the Presidency 
and Lyman Wight rode out to meet the vic- 
torious Mormons and marched at their head 
back to town. The prisoner taken by the 
Mormons was released on their march back 
with direction to follow a certain path which was 
pointed out to him; but being suspicious of 
treachery, he traveled in it but a short distance 
and left it for a safe way in the woods. Certain 
movements convinced him that an ambush had 
been placed to cut off his return, and he no sooner 
left the path than he discovered a man in the act 

OF SHOOTING. To SAVE HIMSELF HE "BENT FORWARD, 
RAN CROOKED AND DODGED BEHIND TREES," BUT THE 
COLD-HEARTED VILLAIN (I KNOW HIM WELL) DELIBER- 
ATELY SENT A BALL THROUGH HIS HIP AND LEFT HIM, 
THINKING PERHAPS HE HAD GIVEN HIM HIS DEATH 
WOUND. 

The horses taken in the battle were distributed 
among the Mormons and receipted for to Col. 
Hinkle. 

In Richmond the first information received of 
this battle was that the whole company of fifty or 
sixty men was massacred, and before the report 



u8 



was corrected Amos Rees and Wiley C. Williams 
were far on their way to the Governor with this 
intelligence. Immediately after the battle of 
Crooked River nearly all Caldwell Co. were astir, 
removing their families and effects to Far West as 
a place of safety. 



CHAPTER VI. 
Joe Begs Like a Dog — Reed Peck, Peacemaker. 

On the 29th of October Gen'l Doniphan was 
encamped on Crooked River with 1,300 men and 
waiting for reinforcements in order to march into 
Caldwell Co. The Mormon forces had been 
ordered out by Col. Hinkle, consequently the 
armed force of Caldwell Co. was concentrated and 
prepared to act. 

On Monday (29th) a party of 150 Mormons, or 
more, were stationed three or four miles south of 
Far West to intercept any forces that might attempt 
to march in. The Mormons believed that the army 
on Crooked River was a mob collected to attack 
them without the authority of any public officer; 
but being satisfied myself that they came as the 
militia of the State, and fearing that serious conse- 
quences would result from the rashness of the 
Mormons if the two parties should meet, I volun- 
teered to ride out and ascertain, if possible, what 
might be expected from the visit of so large an 
army~ 

I found it impossible to get into the camp unless 
I went as a prisoner, but I learned from one of the 
soldiers that they were under command of Gen'l 
Doniphan, which gave the Mormons some satisfac- 
tion. On the day following, Jno. Corrill and 
myself were dispatched by the Presidency to see 



120 



Gen'l Doniphan, with instructions "to beg like a 
dog for peace." But the army by a circuitous 
route marched to Far West while we were hunting 
their encampment and when we rode in at sunset 
we beheld them drawn up a half mile from the line 
of the town. A great part of the Mormons formed 
in the edge of the town fronting the militia, but 
others of them were going about with blank faces 
inquiring what should be done. As soon as I 
alighted from my horse which I had rode hard, I 
ran down to the Mormon lines and told Jos. Smith 
if he had any message to Gen'l Doniphan I would 
carry it. He expressed a wish for a compromise 
and got down from his horse to let me ride. I 
mounted, but not till I had asked him if it was con- 
secrated property ^ as I did not think it safe to ride 
a borrowed horse where I might possibly meet the 
owner. By the time I left the Mormons the Militia 
had retired from lines and were building camp fires, 
and when I rode up to their outposts I was in- 
formed that the General would receive no commu- 
nication that night. I observed to the person 
addressing me that I particularly wished to see 
Gen'l Doniphan and if he would take my name in 
he would confer a special favor, which he did, 
reluctantly, but soon returned and conducted me to 
the General's tent. After delivering the message 
intrusted by Jos. Smith I informed the General 
that there were many individuals among the Mor- 
mons who were warmly opposed to the wicked 

TRANSACTIONS IN DAVIESS Co. AND THE OPPRESSIVE 



121 



INFLUENCES BY WHICH THE CHURCH IS LED, as any 

man in his army could be, and that those men were 
now compelled to stand in the Mormon ranks where 
in the event of a battle their blood would flow in 
defense of measures to which they had ever been 
averse. Gen'l Doniphan was apprised of this fact 
and swore that nothing- should be done to endanger 
the persons or property of that class. He also said 
that he was determined to have a complete reor- 
ganization of society in the county before he 
returned and by the suffrages of the people it 
should be determined whether Caldwell should still 
be governed by priestcraft; and if the party in 
favor of good order prove too weak he would protect 
them from the county, if they desired it. I found 
that the innocent had no cause to fear, unless the 
Mormons in their blind enthusiasm should provoke 
the army to an attack which would have undoubt- 
edly ended in an indiscriminate slaughter, as 
there were then 10,000 men under arms against 
them and 3,000 in the confines of Caldwell Co.,. 
which, without a reinforcement, would have been 
sufficient to subdue 700 Mormons. On leaving, 
Gen'l Doniphan, directed that some of the principal 
men of Far West should meet him the next morn- 
ing at a certain point between the army and Mor- 
mons to see what could be done. Jno. Corrill, W. 
W. Phelps, Jno. Clemmens and myself were named 
by Gen'l Doniphan and Seymour Brunson and Geo. 
M. Hinkle were added to the number by Jos. 
Smith. The next morning we were informed that. 



122 



no steps could be taken toward a compromise until 
the arrival of the order from the Governor which 
was hourly expected. We faithfully reported to 
the Presidency all that passed between us and Gen'l 
Doniphan. Jos. Smith said that a compromise 

MUST BE MADE ON SOME TERMS HONORABLE OR DISHON- 
ORABLE. The order did not arrive till late in the 
afternoon. An hour or so before sunset Maj. -Gen'l 
Lucas, of Jackson Co., Commander-in-Chief of all 
the forces then in Caldwell with four or five Briga- 
dier Generals rode up and delivered us a copy of 
the order and spoke in favor of a treaty, not deem- 
ing it expedient to act with the rigor prescribed by 
His Excellency, the Governor. 

The first thing required by General Lucas 
was that Jos. Smith, S. Rigdon, Geo. W. Robin- 
son, P. P. Pratt and Lyman White, the latter 
heing then in Far West, though a resident of 
Daviess Co. , should give themselves up as hostages 
nntil the following morning, when, if a treaty 
could not be made, they should be delivered again 
to the Mormons and not a hair of their heads 
injured, for the performance of which the officers 
pledged their honor and the honor of the State. If 
these men would not come forward the army, 3,500 
strong, was to march into Far West and take them. 

One hour only being given for these men to 
decide and surrender themselves, we expeditiously 
got them together and firstly read them the order 
of the Governor, which is here transcribed for 
your perusal : 



123 

"Headquarters of the Militia, 

"City of Jefferson, Oct. 27, 1838. 

"Sir — Since the order of the morning to you, 
directing- you to cause 400 mounted men to be 
raised within your division, I have received by 
Amos Rees, Esq., of Ray Co. and Wiley C. Will- 
iams, Esq., one of my aids, information of the 
most appalling character, which changes entirely 
the face of things and places the Mormons in the 
attitude of an open and defiance of the laws, and 
of having made war upon the people of this 
State. Your orders are therefore to hasten your 
operations and endeavor to reach Richmond in Ray 
Co. with all possible speed. The Mormons must be 
treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or 
driven from the State, if necessary for the pub- 
lic peace. Their outrages are beyond all de- 
scription. 

"If you can increase your force you are authorized 
to do so to any extent you may think necessary. I 
have just issued order to Maj.-Gen'l Wallock of 
Marion Co., to raise 500 men and to march them to 
the northern part of Daviess and there unite with 
Gen'l Doniphan of Clay, who has been ordered 
with 500 men to proceed to the same point for the 
purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons 
to the north. They have been directed to commu- 
nicate with you by express. You can also commu- 
nicate with them if you find it necessary. Instead, 
therefore, of proceeding as at first directed, to rein- 
state the citizhis of Daviess, you will proceed immedi- 



I2 4 

ately to Richmond, and there and then operate 
against the Mormons. Brig.-Gen'l Parks of Ray 
has been ordered to have 400 of his Brigadiers in 
readiness to join you at Richmond. The whole 
force will be placed tinder your command." 

After reading the order and reporting the propo- 
sition of the officers, John Corrill observed that 
perhaps the first term of the treaty would be for 
the Mormons to leave the State. Joseph Smith 
answered that he did not care, he ivould be glad to get out of 
the damnable States. 

[This is the language of an inspired prophet. 
One who promised that "One should chase a 
thousand and two put ten thousand to flight. " The 
language shows that he was a coarse, profane 
coward, who had no faith in his prophecy, none in 
his cause, no love or regard for his Church, save to 
use it to delude people to further his vile purposes. 
How sane men could be deceived by such a bung- 
ling braggart, blasphemous impostor, when he was 
continually showing the Devil's hoof and horns, is 
the strangest part of the whole colossal Mormon 
fraud. His prophecies were profanations and never 
fulfilled. His promises were made only to be 
broken. His life was a libel on manhood, his 
leadership a snare, the Church a trap, and the poor 
deluded victims the prey of a trickster so awkward, 
so reckless in cowardice, so devilish where he had 
the power, he was ever unmasking a caricature of 
a third-rate impostor. Yet this is the fountain of 
Mormon faith. — Cake.] 



125 

Joseph decided that they must give themselves 
up ; that it would not do to resist the militia of the 
State, acting under the orders of the Governor 
He also said that the Church must comply with 
whatever the officers required. 

[Verily, this is a Prophet who believes that Baal 
is God when he has the guns. — Cake.] 

Except these five men, the Mormons were 
entirely ignorant of what was passing, hourly ex- 
pecting an attack from the mob militia, as they 
called them ; and when the stated time for these 
men to surrender, they not having- arrived on the 
ground, the army was put in motion, the alarm was 
raised among the Mormons, who rushed to their 
breastworks and bound up their heads in handker- 
chiefs in preparation for a coming fight, the drums 
beat, horns blew, men shouted, and it seemed noth- 
ing could prevent the effusion of blood, should 
the Militia come within reach of the Mormon 
rifles. To prevent serious confusion, Jno. Corrill 
and myself hastened forward and informed the 
officers of the advancing army that the men were 
close at hand. Jos. Smith first arrived and pleaded 
with Gen'l Lucas for permission to remain over 
night with his family, promising to comply with 
any terms he should name, even if it were for 
the whole Church to leave the State forthwith. 
[Joseph was first for war, first to surrender, first to 
leave the parts with his countrymen. — Cake.] 
Gen'l Lucas told them they must go to camp with 
him and bade them forward. As they closed their 



126 



heavy columns around these men, the army made 
the welkin ring with the most terrific shouts that 
ever startled the ears of mortals. The savage war 
cry of the Indians could not compare with their yells 
of triumph, as they marched back to camp with five 
individuals under their guardianship, and they 
only in the character of hostages. On the same 
night about 80 or 100 Mormons who were engaged 
in the Crooked River battle being suspicious, or 
learning that they would, in case of a surrender, be 
called to answer for their conduct, took horses and 
fled across a part of the Indian country into the 
State of Illinois. ["The wicked flee when no man 
pursueth," etc. — Cake.] 

Sampson Avard, the instrument in the hand of 
the Presidency for carrying into effect every 

OPPRESSIVE MEASURE OF THE CHURCH [this is the 

language of one who knew an honest Mormon, whose 
eyes had seen, whose ears had heard, whose hands 
had handled; one the chief actors in all that was 
lawful — yet this expresses an honest Mormon's 
opinion of the Mormon Church and its founders. — 
Cake.]; the main actor in the organization of the 
Danites, and, while there was peace, their Thunderbolt 
of War, the scourge of every man that would not passively 
yield, but dared to oppose the principles of the new church 
government, also fled, leaving the people to extricate 
themselves from the difficulties into which they had plunged 
by following promiscuous counsel, and his examples of 
obedience to the tvill of the Presidency. 



127 

[This honest man draws a picture of the Mormon 
Church and its founders so plainly true, so truly 
plain, that the distance from 1897 back to the 
gigantic fraud of 1839 enables any honest man to- 
see the unholy monstrosity and fly from *itj a to- 
day. — Cake.] 



CHAPTER VII. 

United States Makes Treaty of Peace with a 
Church — Joe Jailed — Mormon Exodus. 

On Thursday morning the terms of treaty were 
handed to Col. Hinkel, which were in substance as 
follows : 

The Mormons should deliver up their leaders to 
be tried and punished. 

Those who had taken up arms should make an 
appropriation of their property to pay debts and 
damages. 

The arms should be surrendered and receipted 
for. 

And, lastly, the Mormons should remove from 
the State. 

Whether Col. Hinkel read these propositions to 
the Mormons, I am not prepared to say, but having 
heard them converse upon the subject previous to the sur- 
render ', / can but be confident that they understood the terms. 

About nine in the morning the Mormons marched 
out and formed a hollow square with the militia 
drawn up on three sides, and grounded their arms, 
consisting of about 600 stand. 

[Joseph's idea of forming a church was "600 
stand of arms" for the corner stone. How different 
from that of the Nazarene who rebuked even the 
use of a sword, healed the wound and said, "They 
that take the sword shall perish by the sword." 



129 

And they did, as you will see by following the his- 
tory of Joseph. — Cake.] 

They next marched back into Far West and were 
placed under a close guard for several hours. The 
militia marched through the village, some of them 
shouting as they passed the disarmed Mormons, 
"Charge, Danites, charge!" 

The men who surrendered themselves as hostages 
were detained as State prisoners under the first 
articles of the treaty and taken under guard of the 
Jackson troops to Independence. The remainder 
of the Mormons were confined to Far West by a 
strong guard around the town until the arrival of 
Maj.-Gen'l Clark with his forces a few days after 
the surrender. 

[Here is a spectacle for gods and men! The 
United States making a treaty of peace with a 
Church within the jurisdiction of the Government ! 
1 ' If these things be done in the green tree what will 
they do in the dry?" Gen'l Eaton says in the 
Christian Herald articles now being published (1897), 
that Mormon leaders declare the Church will return 
to first principles. They claim 300,000 members now, 
and already breathe the old spirit. What the old 
spirit, or first principles of the Church was, this 
spectacle shows. — Cake.] 

Sampson Avard had been intercepted in his 
flight in some place in the Platte Country and was 
brought to Far West about the same time ; and he, 
the greatest villain in the band [Mark, this is a 
Mormon describing the "Daughter of Zion" of the 



i3° 

early Mormon Church — " villain" is the word — 
"greatest villain in the band" of villains, to com- 
plete his meaning. — Cake.], furnished a list of such as 
he considered most culpable, and a few of his enemies, for 
which he was set at liberty after testifying before the Court. \ 
[Who does not pity the truly brave, honest Mor- 
mons who had been deluded by this wretch! — 
Cake.] From this list about 50 men were selected 
and taken to Richmond in Ray Co., for examina- 
tion, and the remaining Mormons in Far West were 
set at liberty. 

Having been an enemy to Avard in consequence 
of his conduct in the society, he placed my name in 
his catalogue, and I was called as a prisoner, but 
the influence of friends procured my release in two 
minutes. All the time before, and after this, I had 
my freedom and could go to the camp of the army, 
to Far West, and to my house when I pleased. 

[Here is the proof that we have in this witness 
"the noblest Roman of them all," the Presidency 
making Reed Peck the chosen peacemaker when 
the crisis came ; the Mormons trusting all to him, 
and the State officers and militia paying a like 
tribute to him. He is the only one in Joseph's 
church who could "chase a thousand," and the 
thousand are ghosts of Mormon delusions. These he 
chases away like mist, with his sunbeams of truth. 
— Cake.] 

Gen'l Clark caused Smith and his fellow prison- 
ers to be brought from Jackson Co. to Richmond 
for examination, also. Before the Mormons were 



i3i 

set at liberty in Far West they were compelled to 
sign a deed of trust which would, if it had been 
lawful, taken from them all their property to pay 
the debts and damages. 

The Mormons in 'Diahman were instructed by 
an express from their brethren in Far West, to 
surrender, which they did when the State troops 
appeared before the place. 

The citizens of Daviess found, after the surren- 
der, many of their horses and much of their house- 
hold furniture in 'Diahman and Far West. [Thus 
the foundations of the Mormon Church were laid; 
created in fraud, and continued in crime. — Cake.] 

Bureaus, clocks, etc., were found secreted in the 
brush near Far West, having been placed there by 
persons not willing to have them found in their 
houses. By permission from Gen'l Clark, the 
agents for the Whitmers, Cowdery and Johnson, 
searched and recovered most of the property taken 
from them by Geo. W. Robinson and others the 
June before. 

Some horses, wagons, and much other property 
were stolen from the Mormons by some of the 
militia who were villains enough to plunder. 

[This witness tells the truth, the whole truth, 
nothing but the truth, no matter whom it hits. 
All unconsciously he sets the eternal seal of 
verity to his testimony. To read is to believe ; to 
believe is to detest the Mormon fraud. — Cake.] 

One Mormon was killed, though not instantly, by 
a blow received on the head after being taken 



132 

prisoner by a scouting party near Far West, and 
many of the Mormons were abused in various ways 
before they left the State. 

But the most tragical story of the war is yet 
untold. 

Soon after the last expedition to Daviess, the 
Mormons in a small settlement on the eastern line 
of Caldwell Co., collected at Hawn's Mills and 
formed something like an alliance with a small 
neighboring settlement of Missourians in which 
each party promised to inform the other when any 
danger threatened them; as the Mormons there 
would know the destinations of their brethren, and 
the other party would very likely be apprised of 
the movements of the mob. Under this arrange- 
ment the Mormons at Hawn's Mills, numbering 30 
or 40, hoped to be secure, but while the troops were 
encamped before Far West they were surprised by a 
body of men, 200 strong from Livingston and 
Daviess counties, calling themselves militia, but 
were acting without orders. On discovering the 
hostile approach of this party one of the Mormons 
swung his hand and cried for peace, but his cry was 
answered by a discharge of rifles, which deprived 
him only of a finger. The Mormons immediately 
took shelter in a blacksmith shop and tried to de- 
fend themselves. Their bloodthirsty assailants 
would grant no quarter. They rushed up and 
poured in a deadly fire through the crevices, 
windows and door of the log building, and a total 
extermination would have been the fate of the 



Mormons had they not in desperation broke from 
the shop and fled through a shower of bullets. 
After the firing had ceased, some of the party- 
entered the shop and despatched the wounded and 
searched the dead. A boy between 10 and 15 
years of who had sheltered himself under the bel- 
lows and remained unhurt throughout the action, 
came forward begging them to spare his life, but 
deaf to pleading innocence, they deliberately and 
literally blew out his brains, the rifle being dis- 
charged so close to his head. An old gentleman by 
the name of McBride finding himself pursued in his 
flight, and on the point of being overtaken, turned 
and gave up his gun and surrendered himself a 
prisoner, and then, without the power to resist, was 
cut to pieces with a part of a scythe placed in a 
handle for a corn cutter. In this horrid affray 17 
Mormons were killed, several were wounded, and 
among them one or two women. 

Seven of the mob were wounded, but none mor- 
tally. Of this massacre no notice has been taken 
by the authorities, though many of the principal 
actors are known to the public. 

[Our honest witness tells it all. It hits "the 
authorities" hard this time. Though the perpe- 
trators were "without orders," a band that took 
the law in their own hands, as the Mormon Church 
had done, it did not prevent punishment. The 
lesson of it all is this, Why does the Government 
now tolerate a system born and bred this way, that 
may make "history repeat itself?" What honest 



134 

Mormon wants to longer identify himself with a 
society that once took up arms against the State 
and was the cause of innocent blood shed by 
treasonable uprising? — Cake.] 

At the close of the examination in Richmond, 
between twenty and thirty of the Mormons were 
committed for bailable offences, and procuring bail 
they all absconded, not thinking it safe to stand their 
trial. [These were then called "Latter Day Saints." 
Their acts were inspired by the so-called prophet, 
Jos. Smith. "The tree is known by its fruits." 
This is fruit of the Mormon sapling. Can the tree 
change its fruit ? When the tree is strong enough to 
bear fruit and is shaken by another storm, what will 
be gathered ? "Do men gather figs of thistles?" — 
Cake.] 

The prisoner taken by the Mormons in the battle 
on Crooked River testified in court that Lyman 
Wight called out five men, and after talking with 
them a few moments they (Wight's five Mormons) 
took the direction which he (the prisoner) was 
afterwards directed to follow. All but one returned 
and this circumstance awakened his (the pris- 
oner's) suspicions. There is no doubt respecting 
this matter, the Mormons present understood it, 
and / heard it talked of in Far West after they 
returned from the battle. [This was the prisoner 
who, when dodging from tree to tree was shot 
through the hips and left for dead, as related in 
foregoing pages. His appearance in court shows he 
crawled off and survived the bushwhacking attempt 



135 

on his life. It may be that the 200 who massacred 
the 17 Mormons at H awn's Mills were the friends 
of this man taking awful vengeance. They were 
"not militia, but without orders," Peck says, and 
the relentless way they took "an eye for an eye 
and a tooth for a tooth, ' ' indicates that they were 
avengers. — Cake. ] 

Jos. Smith, H. Smith, S. Rigdon, Lyman Wight, 
A. McRae and C. Baldwin were committed to jail 
in Liberty, Clay Co., for treason, murder, and other 
crimes. 

[Paul and Silas and other Apostles of Truth were 
once confined in prisons, but not for treason and 
murder and other crimes. The best Mormon of 
the early Church tells why, how, and for what Jos. 
Smith, the Prophet, and other founders of the Mor- 
mon Church were in prison — "Treason, murder, 
and other crimes. ' ' What more do the thousands 
of honest, deceived Mormons of to-day want to con- 
vince them of the fraud practiced upon them? If 
they will not be undeceived by such unimpeachable 
revelations of the fraudulent and criminal forma- 
tion of the great Mormon Church Fraud, "they 
would not believe though one rose from the dead." 
— Cake.] 

P. P. Pratt and four others were confined in 
Richmond jail for murder committed in Bogart's 
battle. 

The prisoners in Liberty made great exertions 
during the winter to effect their enlargement under 
the Habeus Corpus Act, in which S. Rigdon was 



136 

successful by giving heavy bail bond for his appear- 
ance at court ; but he has not been seen in Missouri 
since. 

[There is the record of the court, supplying the 
incontrovertible evidence of the truth of Reed 
Peck's story. Also the confession by S. Rigdon in 
"jumping his bail bond," and flying from justice, 
that the charges of murder, etc., were true. This 
makes one pillar of the Mormon Church a confes- 
sion of murder. — Cake.] 

They also made several attempts to break jail, 
but were detected. [Once true Christians of a true 
Church were in jail; an earthquake broke the jail 
for them, but they did not break. "We are all 
here," said the true apostle of the true Church, 
disdaining to fly (Acts xvi. 28). Compare them 
with the guilty framers of a fraudulent Church, 
jumping bail bonds and trying to break jail! Mor- 
mon friends, will you not see the truth? — Cake.] 

As soon as the weather would admit after the 
surrender, the Mormons commenced removing from 
the State, generously aiding each other and con- 
tributing profusely for the assistance of the poor. 
[What a pity such noble men should be led astray 
by false guides. — Cake.] 

Being compelled as a people to leave their 
country and their homes within a stated time, great 
quantities of property were thrown onto the market 
simultaneously, opening a field for speculators who 
now reap the advantage of labor done by the banished 
Mormons. 



137 

In April the prisoners confined in Liberty were 
taken before the Grand Jury of Daviess Co. and 
indicted, but choosing to be tried at a distance from 
Daviess Co., Columbia, in Boone Co., was selected 
by them as the place of trial. William Bowman, a 
very conspicuous character among the Mobites, and 
four others of kindred spirit, were appointed to 
guard the prisoners to Columbia. On the way the 
prisoners bribed their guards and safely found 
their way to Illinois. [Here is more self -con- 
fession to crime by early Mormons. — Cake.] 

The public would have trusted Bowman with the 
prisoners as quickly, perhaps, as any other, he 
being a bitter enemy of the Mormons and the 
leader of a party that had only six days previous 
ranged through Caldwell Co. , threatening the Mor- 
mons with destruction if they were not off in a 
week. Two of the prisoners confined in Rich- 
mond were liberated for want of testimony. P. P. 
Pratt and two others were taken to Columbia, from 
whence P. P. Pratt and one of the two made their 
escape on the 4th of July last. The other is still in 
jail. 

[The tense here shows this narrative was written 
at the time of the events described, not from 
memory long after. It is accurately true. — Cake.] 

Of all that were taken of the Mormons two only 
remain prisoners in Missouri, and I am safe in 
saying that they are the least guilty. [Note the 
words — ' k least guilty, " says our faithful witness. — 
Cake.] 



138 

One of these is guilty of standing guard over the 
Mormon horses while the company marched to 
attack Bogart on Crooked River. The other is 
guilty of executing plans laid by S. Rigdon to 
make the traitors, as he termed them, serviceable 
in defending the cause in Far West. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Peacemaker Called Judas by Cowards he 
Saved — Conclusion. 

you may here ask, in conclusion, how joseph 
Smith retains the confidence of his followers, 
and even binds them more closely to the cause 
when THE ULTIMATE OF ALL HIS PLANS 
HAS BEEN A TOTAL FAILURE. He tells 

THEM AS AN EXCUSE FOR BEING IN THE HANDS OF HIS 
ENEMIES AFTER THE DELIVERY OF SO MANY BRAVE 
SPEECHES, "THAT HE WAS BETRAYED." THE VERY 
MEN WHO RISKED THEIR LIVES AT HIS REQUEST TO OPEN 
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE ARMY, ARE NOW BRANDED 
AS TRAITORS. WHEN NO OTHERS WOULD VENTURE, 
WE STEPPED FORWARD AND WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN 

saving the lives of hundreds, perhaps, by bring- 
ing about a peace. 

Propositions were made to us and we faithfully 
reported the same to the Presidency, and they 
understood the whole matter, still Joseph pretends 
to the Church that he was betrayed by us as Christ 
was betrayed by Judas. 

[Picture to your mind this Prophet of Fraud who ? 
our faithful witness states, wrecked a bank and 
purloined thousands in Kirtland, Ohio; who fled to 
Missouri to plot treason and insurrection and incite 
and help commit murder; picture such an one 
comparing himself with the Holy One betrayed by 



140 

Judas! The Devil at the temptation of Christ, the 
devils he cast out, never showed such audacity- 
Nothing but the licentious sensuality of the system 
could have held sane men in it after the total failure 
and criminal collapse, especially when such a bias- 
phemous, incredible plea was made by the Prophet 
to explain his shameful abortion. — Cake.] 

You may ask how he can support his character as 
a man of God when facts are exhibited to the world 
in their true light You may ask how the Church 
can proclaim their innocence to the world with the 
hope of being believed after having been engaged 
in the devastation of a part of Daviess Co., and 
numerous acts of oppression in Caldwell. If the 
character of a few among the Mormons who were 
opposed to these acts of violence and their general 
course :in Caldwell can be blackened, they may 
assert the title to the character of Christ with no 
fear of contradiction. The five whom I have fre- 
quently mentioned as being opposed in principle to 
their conduct, were the chief witnesses summoned 
in the examination and the Mormons are exerting 
themselves to make the great public believe their 
testimony is false. To cast a shade over our charac- 
ter in the eyes of the world, for the purpose, per- 
haps, of making our testimony which in time will 
be made public, they accuse us of treachery, 
perjury and cowardice. 

In behalf of the innocent part of the community 
I informed Gen'l Doniphan that there were many 
individuals among the Mormons who were as 



141 

warmly opposed to the wicked transactions in 
Daviess and the oppressive influence by which the- 
Church is led, as any men in his army could be. 

If the order of the Governor had been in hand 
and an immediate attack intended (by the militia) 
would not this have averted the blow? [That is, 
instead of treachery, Reed Peck's plea for the inno- 
cent members of the Church was the only thing to 
prevent the attack.] If it would have been be- 
lieved, the Mormons certainly would have been 
pleased if I had told him that they were all 
opposed to robbing and plundering. I intended to 
take a course that would save the greatest number 
from misery, whether guilty or innocent, knowing 
that the guilty had been made so by placing too 
much confidence in the divine authority of their 
leaders, believing that God would shield them from 
harm and prevent the consequences that would 
naturally flow from their conduct. I did them a 
service, but still the sacrifice of my character is 

NECESSARY TO SUPPORT ONE OF MORE IMPORTANCE 

[Jos. Smith's]. I have been informed that the 
army were generally acquainted with the course 
pursued by Jno. Corrill, myself and some others for 
six months preceding the war, therefore no one can 
accuse us of cowardice, for we knew that our inno- 
cence among men would secure our safety. We were 
anxious for a compromise, not that we feared for 
ourselves, but other men would have suffered death 
who had been as we were, women and children 
would suffer and we all had relations whose lives 



142 

would have been in jeopardy if the Mormons 
resisted the authorities. 

Though the order of the Governor and terms of 
the treaty were unconstitutional and oppressive, 
yet can it be asked why we were unwilling to step 
into the Mormon ranks and fight when it would 
have been in support of measures to which we had 
ever been averse, and life would have been the 
forfeit. 

There are many circumstances connected with 
what is here related but wishing to confine myself 

TO SUCH AS I WAS PARTICULARLY ACQUAINTED WITH, 

or have the most undoubted testimony of their 
being facts, I have omitted them ; and before this 
passes from my hands I believe it just to present 
you with the testimony I have for believing all that 
is here stated to be truth: 

"A secret meeting was called in Far West." I 
was informed of the transactions of this meeting 
the next morning by Jno. Corrill and T. B. Marsh. 

"Sidney Rigdon took his text." I was present 
and heard his speech and, indeed, I heard all the 

SPEECHES FROM WHICH I HAVE MADE QUOTATIONS in 

this sketch delivered by Joseph, Sidney (Rigdon) 
or Avard. 

44 A young man was compelled to sign a libel." 
I saw him in custody and heard the particulars of 
the transaction from Geo. W. Robinson and D. B. 
Huntington. 



143 

4 'They would not permit the clerk," etc. The 
clerk, John Clemenson, informed the Judge of this 
fact in open court. 

"Secret society under the instructions of the 
Presidency." I was so informed by Geo. W. Rob- 
inson. 

"I will walk on your neck, sir!" [Classical 
language of Joseph called prophetic inspiration. 
— Cake.] I was present and heard all. 

"Peter told him that himself killed Judas," etc. 
/ did not hear Peter say it. 

"The ticket was made out by," etc. I was 
informed so by the printer. If it is not so it is "0 
mistake of the printer. ' ' 

"They were furnished with a hint by Joseph," 
etc. I read the letter before it was sent. 

"Pursuant to an arrangement," etc. W. W. 
Phelps heard them make the arrangement and 
swore to it in court. I also heard Wight speak of 
it the day before. 

"Made their triumphal entry," etc. I saw them 
come in. 

"McRae observed, 'Damn cold day,' " etc. I 
heard the particulars of the expedition from 
McRae and Brunson. 

"The next night McRae went to G.," etc. One 
of the company with him related the particulars to 
me next morning. I also saw the furniture McRae 
missed with me in 'Diahman, or in the same com- 
pany. He is now out preaching to enlighten the 
benighted world. 



144 

"Reducing many dwellings to ashes." An 
acquaintance informed me that in one day's ride 
through Daviess Co. he counted thirty houses that 
had been burned. Some of the Mormons engaged 
in this affair said it was a revelation from Joseph 
that every house in the county should be burned ex- 
cepting those in 'Diahman. [Here is holy prophetic 
inspiration for you. — Cake.] D. B. Huntington 
informed me that Brunson and McRae were burn- 
ing Mormon houses and laying it to the mob. I 
was in 'Diahman from Tuesday till Saturday morn- 
ing and saw and heard much that is not here 
written. 

The battle on Crooked River. I have the par- 
ticulars from men present in the engagement. 

The battle at Hawn's Mill. I have seen several 
Mormons that were engaged. One man finding 
escape from the shop impossible fell upon his face 
pretending to be dead, and another falling across 
his shoulders after being shot through the large 
vein of the neck, so covered him with blood that he 
was passed as a dead man. He relates it. 



SENSATION! 

OLD 

MORMON 

MANUSCRIPT 

FOUND 

Peepstone Joe Exposed 



A thing is no less sinful 

That so the many sin ! 
No Vice becomes a Virtue, 

Because it long hath been ! 
To call Hades religion, 

Then preach it, practice well, 
A Harem for a Heaven, 

Don't make it less a Hell ! 

LU B. CAKE. 



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